Wound Up
by hye-kyo
Summary: It vaguely registered to her that the abductor's eyes were shaped like a cat's and that his cap with the R on it was skewed and his mouth tasted slightly of Grape Ponta and something sweet she couldn't name. RyoSaku.
1. Crude

**Wound Up**

**by hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **I was planning to pose this as a one-shot all by itself but I thought it might be better to have a series/collection of one-shots, less hassle in doing summaries. However, the downside is I have to update…though indefinite but still there is a need to update since this is a collection. Anyway, I hope you try and read and review these fics.

BTW, its RyoSaku all throughout.

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**Title: **Crude

**Genre: **Romance/Drama

**Rating: **K+ just to be sure but not T

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Ryuuzaki Sakuno's first kiss wasn't exactly like she dreamed it would be. It was sudden, happening amid a flurry of other movements, amid a lot of shouting and squealing and cursing from the running and scheming regulars. So it was nothing like she expected it would be.

--

"Ne," Echizen Ryoma dropped his pace, decelerating at the girl-with-stupid-braids learning pace. He happened to be in a middle of a 50-lap punishment. The punishment of the punishment would be to drink Inui-sempai's another concoction.

To put it simply, it was a matter of life and death.

So he stopped simply because he was stupid. Because first, he'd have to face Tezuka-buchou's boring glares for having dropped from the 50-lap race; second, there's the Inui-fill-in-the-blank-juice/poison; and third, well third is there is Ryuuzaki stuttering-Sakuno who was looking at him like he was doing something stupid.

Which in fact he was.

So going back to what he was saying, "Ne."

"E-eh?" she swallowed hard.

Ryoma could only gaze at her mouth now shaped in a small o. Alright, so she rather looked cute today. Nothing really special, it's just that that he saw her talking with some slip of a guy from the third year. It also just so happened that she was smiling and laughing softly at whatever that stupid slip of a guy said.

Ryoma grimaced inwardly. And don't forget how she didn't watch the intra-school ranking tournament. And not to mention forgetting it was the stupid (so what? Stupid is his word for the day) Valentine's Day yesterday.

"Why are you here?" he asked instead. Okay, just testing. He waited and watched out for the blush. The blush would tell him his standing. Well, it's not as if he cares. Honestly.

"Uh…Anou…I just passed by when I remembered I have to talk to Inui-sempai about something…"

Ryoma frowned. She was probably telling an excuse to see him, he told himself. Otherwise she wouldn't be really here.

"Let's see," he murmured and took a step towards her.

A little voice screamed inside his head.

Perhaps he cares what his standing was, well just a little.

The voice screamed louder.

Alright, maybe not that little.

Louder

Fine. So he cares. So what?

Louder.

Right. Alright. He cares a lot.

A lot.

And he made the inevitable.

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno sure felt like in a daze. The moment he called her and stopped running she knew something was really going to happen. Something wrong.

And the moment he stepped towards her and made those funny expressions on his face, she was alarmed. Something must have happened to Ryoma-kun.

And she was that desperate to get him to the clinic that she didn't even realize he finally stopped making those funny expressions and took another step.

And everything became a daze (So there, full of "And"s).

Because it was then that he grabbed her wrist, pulled her towards him and claimed her lips against his.

And she was ready then to melt into a little puddle at his feet.

--

Echizen Ryoma knew for a fact that kissing in public was actually, more or less, prohibited in the school grounds. And that in fact if caught doing it, consequence/detention was sure to follow.

And he knew the fact that kissing in public, with none other than the coach's granddaughter would not just earn him detention but probably a lifetime's worth of nagging from Coach Ryuuzaki and Inui juice that would surely last until he's on his deathbed.

But well, screw rules. He wasn't going to pass this up. He planted a hand on her waist to increase leverage, making sure she won't get away and tried to drown out all other sounds in the background, especially the screaming sounds which most likely came from her grandmother.

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno was the one to break the spell. She had a bit of a breathing problem as Ryoma chased after her mouth every time she tried to pull back.

The moment she pulled back she realized how Ryoma really looked like a kitten up close. And the moment she realized this she wanted to pet him and cuddle him and kiss him and do all sorts of things that a cat and a human wouldn't normally do together.

So there.

And her screaming, cursing grandmother entered the scene.

"Let's run," he whispered, almost into her gaped lips. He was that close.

She only managed to nod as all other thoughts were drowned out in the beginning of the chase.

--

Echizen Ryoma took in a deep breath. Hiding somewhere in a deserted corridor in an empty classroom sure wasn't easy. It was dark and hot and humid.

"Ne," he said, trying to catch up with his breath.

"H-hai?"

"Why didn't you watch the rankings?"

She was stumped.

"So?" it was natural for him to ask. So natural for him to seek her attention and be jealous.

"Ah…I am attending piano lessons every afternoon…"

He arched a brow, "You play the piano?"

"Not really…"

He'd ask her to play something for him sometime. But for now, the next pressing question, "Yesterday was Valentine's."

"H-huh?" she peered at him.

He frowned. That was obvious. His statement was obvious. "I said yesterday was Valentine's Day."

She thought for a while and then, "I thought you won't eat them anyway."

He frowned again. Why does she assume? He had eaten every single piece of chocolate she had made ever since. Every single piece of edible something she made for him he had eaten.

"I'm sorry…" she looked down.

"I always eat them," he said, trying to sound offhand.

Her eyes widened.

He cleared his throat. Two issues solved. One more. "Who's that guy you're talking to before?"

"Who?"

Yeah. Stupid Ryoma. Tell her something specific. "Yesterday. A junior I suppose. Medium built. Black hair. The face you normally won't remember." So that was cruel. Was he really that jealous?

"Ah," she said suddenly, "You're referring to Kai-kun."

"Kai-kun?" he arched a brow. No Ryuuzaki, don't be too familiar with anyone else except me, he thought.

"He was asking me about Tomo-chan."

Tomo-chan, he thought, ah the Osakada-talkative girl. So that Kai-kun was after Tomo-chan. At least Ryoma doesn't have to include everyone of the male persuasion in his target list. Well there are a number, what with Ryuuzaki being fairly pretty and all.

The voice again.

Alright. She's not fairly pretty. She's really pretty.

He sounded so gay.

"Why did you kiss me?" he was the guest in the talk show all of a sudden.

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno noticed Ryoma-kun had a number of questions. She only has one thing on her mind right now. And even before thinking of whether saying it or not she had blurted it out. "Why did you kiss me?"

Okay. So he was silent.

Ookay…his silence was rather long.

Ooookaaayyy…his silence was becoming to get deafening.

"Because I like you a lot." And the ensuing silence after his answer was even more deafening.

--

Echizen Ryoma couldn't think of how to answer it romantically, grandly, like they do in cheesy films. No he just couldn't. And the more he thought the more the silence stretched and became deafening. So he thought of the only thing he wanted to really say to her ever since.

"Because I like you a lot."

And he waited. And waited.

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno wasn't a sucker for cheesy romance flicks. Well she liked them in a weird sort of way, she hadn't been imagining Ryoma-kun in movie-worth scenes out of her pure (meaning untainted and uninspired by cheesy flicks), own imagination.

But well, she liked Ryoma in all his crudeness at this kind of thing and well, never had she imagined him confessing with a bouquet of roses and with a violin playing in the background.

And she had never expected him to give her her first kiss under the setting sun with the waves crashing against the shore. No, she never expected.

But even though she was expecting him to be unsophisticated about it, still the moment he said it in all its candor she melted. No matter how crude, it was Ryoma Echizen after all. The boy she loves.

--

"I'll be dead," Ryoma murmured in her ear as he cradled her in his arms.

"You won't be," Sakuno giggled. "I'll ask Obaa-chan to go easy on you."

"Yeah…I guess I have no choice do I?"

She laughed, cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "You have to drink Inui-sempai's concocted juice because you lost the 50-lap punishment."

"Well," he said, "At least it was all worth it." And he smiled and growled as he started kissing her again.

--

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**A/n: **So there, I had time last night and finished that.

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	2. Short

**Wound Up**

**By hye kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **I haven't thanked everyone who reviewed the first onshot, but I promised to, soon. Anyway, I just came up with this while trying to ponder on how to meet my September deadline…which is hey, two weeks from now. Now this is really cramming.

Got to go, read and review!

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**Title: **Short

**Rating: **K

**Genre: **General

--

--

"Relax," Sakuno told herself. She sat up from the bench and mentally counted from one to ten. Upon reaching ten, she took a step.

She breathed in. There was no reason to be mad. Of course it was something that Ryoma-kun…no Echizen does everyday. It was something that he does everyday. Every minute. Every second. It was his nature to be arrogant.

She breathed out. She was being sensitive. So he ignored her the whole time, so he ignored her when she talked to him, after trying so hard to sell all his tickets for the festival, after hunting down club presidents, class reps and pervert sempais just to sell those stupid tickets. What's the big deal? It's not as if that doesn't happen everyday.

Sakuno took another step. He was right. He didn't ask her to help sell those anyway. It was her decision. It was hers so she had no right whatsoever to expect something from him.

She swallowed hard. _Stupid, stupid Sakuno._ She shook her head.

--

Ryoma found it annoying how she stood there at the entrance almost everyday in stupid short dresses selling those equally stupid tickets for the school festival. He doesn't like it. Especially the way jerks from the senior year ogled her. No, he doesn't like it.

So she sold them all out. What's the point? He had wanted so much to give those guys hitting on her a serve or two.

"Tell me," Momo, his senpai said, "Why are you mad at her?"

"I am not," he looked away.

"Poor Sakuno-chan. I saw her walked away when you ignored her." Momo closed his locker. "At this rate I'll lose the bet with Mamushi."

"What bet?" Ryoma cocked a brow.

"Nothing," Momo grinned and sprinted away.

So why is he mad? Yeah, because she was so stupid. He went out, closed the door to the changing room and found Sakuno outside standing just a foot from him.

--

"I just came to give you these," she handed him an envelope.

He frowned.

"The ticket numbers. For the raffle."

"Give it to someone else," he cocked his head to the side.

"Fine." And she bent down and dropped it on the ground. She had enough of Ryoma making her feel stupid.

--

"Pick it up," he ordered.

"Please stop." Sakuno turned to him.

"What?"

She took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry. If that's what you want to hear then there. I'm sorry I meddled with something I shouldn't have."

He kept staring hard at her.

"I just wanted to help."

Ryoma pondered. Why was he mad anyway? Ah, because she wore such cute and short dresses and actually looked pretty, no very pretty in those dresses and she caught the attention of the upperclassmen. Other men. That. Was that all? Now he was feeling stupid.

"I'm sorry." And she turned on her heel.

And before he could even think about saying something he had taken a step of his own and slipped his hand through hers.

She froze.

It was Ryoma's turn to breathe deep. "Just don't…just don't wear anything short next time." He squeezed her hand.

"Ryoma-kun?"

"Let's go home," and he huddled to her closer, his hand holding hers. "No short dresses," he repeated as an afterthought.

Sakuno eventually broke into a smile. So that was it? She wanted to ask him if he was jealous but nah, she'd just save that for another time. "Okay…no more short dresses…" she returned the squeeze.

--

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**A/n: **Don't hesitate to let me know what you think...

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	3. The response

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **So there, I suddenly had all this POT things in my mind, overflowing even when I'm doing something at work. It kind of feels strange but well, here it is.

Hope you tell me what you think about it. BTW, thanks to all those who reviewed the first two one-shots. I promise to reply to all of you as soon as I'm done with all the other things I'm doing…

* * *

--

**Title: **The response

**Rating: **K

**Genre: **General/Humor/Romance

--

When he said, "Ne, what are you doing?" I was ready to die, hand out my last will and testament to Tomo-chan and pass this world to go to another one, where humiliation ceases to exist, where I can live in peace.

All my hairclips would go to Tomo-chan.

All my books would go to Horio, so he, you know, could gain some really valuable experience instead of those he get from gossips.

My savings would go to charity, though probably by the time I'm done getting cremated nothing would be left of my scanty savings. I had smashed my piggy bank's face months ago.

All my other stuff would go to Obaa-chan. She could put up a stall in some flea market.

All my love goes to Ryoma-kun.

I grimaced. I'm really pathetic, and to boot I don't have much possessions. My last will and testament wouldn't probably be longer than half a page.

"Ne."

There it was again. I looked up, remembering suddenly the reason why I am going to die. I cleared my throat and tried to say anything but nothing came.

The boy I'm giving all my love to arched a perfect brow, glanced at my hand on his locker door and then back at my face, "What are you doing?"

"Ah…" I managed. I swallowed hard.

"What is it?" he cocked his head towards the direction of the paper still clutched in my hand.

"It's ah…ah…" and I faltered again. Yeah, the conversation was pretty much like that every time.

Let's try again. "What is it?"

"I ah…ah…a-actually…" See? That's what I am telling you.

He took a step and that unfroze me. I quickly grabbed my hand still on his locker door and tried to jam the paper inside my pocket.

No, the paper was saved from becoming one of the hundreds of papers he throws everyday, one of the letters he doesn't care to read everyday, one of the letters the girls who admire him write for him everyday.

Right, the paper was saved from that humiliation. But I wasn't.

He grabbed the paper from me. He unfolded it. The sound from the paper seemed to have been amplified a million times. I suddenly felt deaf. Can deafness be felt?

I wanted to move but I was stuck. So I remained there. Glued. Unable to move. Waiting.

His eyes skimmed through the contents. And after a long while, a long while which seemed really, really long for me, he folded it up again.

He looked up at me.

And I couldn't say anything. Because I was waiting for his response too. I was waiting for whatever he was going to say after reading my confession. After reading a confession from one of the so many girls wanting to confess to him.

Like he was a priest or something. A preacher or something.

But he wasn't. So I knew he wasn't going to forgive me.

So I waited.

"Ne," that was it again. The start of the conversation.

I looked up, "Anou…" but as usual I faltered.

"You're so slow Ryuuzaki," he smirked.

I furrowed my brows. I know I am not the brainiest person on this planet but I could boast of a passing grade in Math and English. Though of course I'm not really good at either, I had to not sleep for two weeks just to pass.

His words sank finally. And it left me feeling mad. I made an effort to snatch the paper but he was quick and he shoved it inside his pocket.

"Give it…b-back," I squeaked. Yeah, I did. I am not a mouse or something but I did.

"I have an idea," he said, his eyes glinting.

I have a bad feeling about this. I didn't say anything lest I squeak again.

"I'll post this on the bulletin board." And he smirked again.

I'm so dying right now. "P-please…" I heard my voice make it out of my throat before I breathed it again.

"Do you want me to?" he asked, his hand jammed inside his pocket, holding the paper. The stupid paper. My downfall.

"Don't…please R-Ryoma-kun…" I know it's a lot of energy to sustain that stuttering, almost air-like voice but I can do it, without so much effort. Right, people are so envious of this super human capability.

And he seemed to ponder for a while.

I prayed. Even my thoughts came in stuttering, air-like whispers. God wouldn't be able to hear me at this rate.

And finally, "Alright."

"H-huh?" it was throaty.

And he looked at me like there was something I should've understood after he said that phrase.

"W-what…" and I faltered.

He frowned. And he left.

So I was dying. Somebody start canvassing for cheap cremation.

--

That afternoon, after I had my dose of the Tomo-chan Today and the Horio Buzz I went to my locker.

I opened it. And there was a paper. My letter to Ryoma-kun.

I almost cried but my mind was even too slow to start processing that this was the moment where I should cry. So I ended up not crying.

I almost tore the letter apart but even then my brain was slow to send signals to my hands to tear it.

But when I almost threw it my eyes were quick to scan a scribble at the back of the paper.

_Of course_. It said.

_Saturday. 3pm. At the park_. It said further.

Of course, it said. _Of course_. It said _of course_!

I turned the paper over, my heart pounding in my ears, the words I wrote earlier barely registering in my mind. And I found the question. The question I asked.

I asked: _Do you feel the same way as I do?_

_Of course_, it answered, he answered. _Ever since_.

How can I be so slow?

--

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**A/n: **So there, I doubt how long I would be able to sustain these POT ideas hanging around me during work. But I promise to make the best out of those ideas while they are still there, hanging above my swivel…

BTW, the next one-shot would be kind of more mature…spoilers…warnings…

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	4. Finally

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **See, I told you there were POT ideas hanging above my swivel. I finished this while I was supposedly working. Haha, lazy me. Anyway, at least I am not slacking off in updating am I not? Haha again. Anyway, I actually planned on putting another more mature POT fic here but well I decided to not post it here but as a separate one-shot instead. So here's this one for you guys.

Read and Review!

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**Title: **Finally (or What Ryoma knew he was missing but doesn't want to admit and what Sakuno wanted but when she gets it she gets all fidgety and what Tomo-chan meant when she said, "Finally.")

**Rating:** K+

**Genre: **Romance/Humor/General

**--**

--

He lazily sat, drinking his Ponta. He was bothered.

He knew of course that there was something missing. And that tennis wasn't everything. He knew from the beginning though he had attempted to ignore that he knew it.

Now it was eating him. The fact that he knew something was missing was irksome, but the fact that he doesn't know what that particular something was undeniably vexing.

He looked at his watch. An hour before his flight to some unknown place. He sneaked out. His agent didn't know he was here, waiting for a flight to nowhere.

He needed to find that something. It was eating his concentration. It'll probably impact his play at the ATP.

He had a feeling that sometime in his childhood, sometime more than ten years ago, he had a feeling that he knew what he was missing. Or what he would probably be missing. He had a feeling that he had almost come to terms with that missing something. Only he was too keen on avoiding it.

Now he was suffering the consequences.

When was it? When did he start feeling like this again?

Ah, the answer came swift. When he received that recorded video of one summer vacation many years ago. There. That was when he felt it.

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno watched as her bestfriend Tomo scurried off with the moving crowd to get something to drink. She told her she was parched and she volunteered to go along.

She looked around. She definitely missed home.

She took a seat, looked at the electronic boards and then looked around. Forty-five minutes to boarding.

And she brought out a paperback she brought along.

--

It was one of his sempais who sent him the video. It was one summer break in high school, one summer break among all the summer breaks that he was not with them.

He could remember spending an entire day watching it, playing and replaying it. He missed practice, missed a couple of photo shoots and missed a press conference.

What was it about the video?

And a high-pitched voice took his attention. He turned his head, focusing on two girls. Both of which seemed utterly familiar to him.

He remembered the feeling. The feeling he knew he had felt thirteen years ago, the feeling of missing something.

It was like that. Like an epiphany.

And suddenly, he knew.

--

"Tomo-chan," Sakuno looked around, aware of the staring people, "Not so loud."

Tomo just laughed, "I'm sorry." She sheepishly grinned, "I thought I saw Ryoma-sama over there at the vending machine. I couldn't help but squeal. I guess I was wrong."

"Right," Sakuno said. They had just seen Ryoma Echizen play and win at the China Open for the International Series on TV.

"Right." And Tomo giggled again.

"Where are the drinks anyway?" Sakuno asked, already knowing the answer.

"Riiight!" Tomo hurried through the crowd again, "Be right back!" she called back as she disappeared into the crowd.

Sakuno slumped back onto her chair, wishing to see Ryoma-kun right now. She resumed to reading but the light was blocked.

So she looked up. And she realized wishes do come true.

--

He had watched the video many, many times. He could recall it rewinding and fast-forwarding in his mind.

There was Kikumaru-sempai doing some explaining about the mechanics of the game. He fast forwarded it and came upon Inui-sempai's most abhorred punishment for whoever loses. Until now, Ryoma couldn't understand the mechanics of the game. Maybe that was because he wasn't interested in it.

He fast forwarded the video, until it was the Captain's turn to speak. He fast forwarded it again and skipping a few scenes he rewound it, until finally he came on the spot which he was looking for. He stared at the smiling brunette just beside Fuji-sempai. They were at the backdrop, it was Oishi-sempai doing some talking now but Ryoma wasn't paying attention to him, he was staring at the brunette. And then he paused the video.

"Ryuuzaki," he murmured as he noticed that her lips were pink and that her cheeks were of the same color. Was she blushing at something Fuji-sempai was saying? She was five years older in the video, five years older from when he last saw her, she looked different, with her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Ringlets made their way down her nape and wisps of untamed hair were flying with the wind. She made a great picture. She was lovely.

He had to admit. She was lovely.

And he paused. He paused above her, towering over her as she looked up to meet his gaze.

"Ryuuzaki."

--

Sakuno's eyes widened. "R-Ryoma-kun?"

But he didn't answer. She blinked again and again but he was still there. She continued staring, thinking that he might disappear as suddenly as he appeared. She continued gazing, entranced by his face and by his presence.

Could it be that he is really here?

"Ryoma-sama!" it was the squeal that brought Sakuno back. She regarded Tomo had come back but her gaze was fixed at him just as his own was fixed at her. Sakuno wanted to turn away but something in his eyes compelled her to keep still and gaze back.

"Ryoma-sama!" it was the squeal again. And it was him who broke the spell.

"Hn," he murmured to Tomo. And he turned back to Sakuno.

"Why are you here?" Tomo asked and then she turned to Sakuno, "I told you I saw him!"

Sakuno swallowed. There it was again. The spell of his gaze. She found herself unable to look away.

"We thought you were still in China?" it was Tomo.

Ryoma only murmured some wordless noise, his gaze still fixed on Sakuno.

"We saw you play. You were great! The series was easy for you, I think you'd be…"

Sakuno swallowed again, Tomo's words drowned out in the background. She felt something in her stomach and she was about to say something when he spoke.

"Why are you here?"

It was Tomo who answered, "We've been here for two years do you know? We just finished our masters degree."

"Hn…" was his response.

"We're going back to Japan now. How about you?"

But he didn't answer. Instead he said, "Ne Osakada, do you mind getting me a Ponta?"

"Of course I don't." Tomo squealed when he said her name and she hurried again through the crowd.

Sakuno wanted to volunteer to do it but Tomo was already out of sight.

--

Right. Now he knew what he was missing.

He smirked. "Ne Ryuuzaki," he said.

"H-hai?" she stuttered.

He smiled to himself. The same stuttering Ryuuzaki. He understood now. The video, the obsession with which he played, fast-forwarded, paused and rewound her scene in the video over and over again.

Now he knew. It was Ryuuzaki Sakuno which he was missing.

"Come with me."

--

Instead of Tomo-chan's voice, it was the announcer's voice that shook her out of her daze. Her plane had landed. They were to board it. They were to go home.

Except that Tomo-chan isn't back yet.

Except that Ryoma Echizen was asking her to come with him. No, telling her to come with him.

--

He almost cursed when he heard the announcer telling it was boarding time for Ryuuzaki. And he really cursed inwardly when her friend, the blabbermouth from junior high school, came back carrying a can of grape Ponta in her arms like it was a baby or something.

"Sakuno-chan, it's almost time to leave," Osakada said as she gathered her baggage.

"H-hai," Ryuuzaki looked away from him, her cheeks flushed pink.

Not yet, he wanted to say, but Osakada had blocked him from the brunette by chatting him up as they walked towards the lane.

He took a deep breath. Now that he knew, he couldn't afford to lose her again.

--

Sakuno was frantic when Tomo came back. She quickly grabbed her plane ticket from the top of her bags and was grateful for having Tomo chat him up.

There was something dangerous about him. About the way his throat grumbled and growled, about the way his eyes seemed to devour her, about the way he told her to come with him.

He was walking with them towards the boarding lane when he said to her, "Ne, Ryuuzaki, could you show me your ticket?"

And even though she didn't want it, her hand automatically extended itself to him to hand him her ticket.

--

"Osakada," he said, looking at the ticket, "You don't mind going back alone do you?"

Ryuuzaki's brows furrowed. Osakada's eyes sparkled. He knew the blabbermouth understood and had given him her blessing, not that he needed it though. But it made him feel good that after all these years, Osakada was still rooting for him for her bestfriend.

He'd remember to thank her in the future.

And just before Ryuuzaki realizes what he was about to do, he tore the ticket into two.

--

Sakuno's eyes widened. Her face flushing red.

"Well," Tomo said gleefully, wiggling her brows, "I'd tell your grandmother you extended your stay for some much needed honeymooning." And she winked an eye at Ryoma.

He nodded back, "Probably not here. Probably somewhere else. But not here in Norway."

"Good, Sakuno-chan wanted to go to France."

He smirked and turned to Sakuno.

"Tomo-chan," she murmured, still unable to comprehend the situation.

And she winked at Sakuno. "Finally," Tomo smiled. And she waved and boarded the plane.

It was hard to understand, how everything was simply ordinary and then everything was suddenly outstandingly not ordinary anymore.

--

Just like what Ryoma Echizen would expect of her, she still didn't get it.

He took her hand in his, brought her to the counter to cancel their flights and book for a trip to France the same day.

He sat her down while they waited. Five hours. Five hours until they leave Oslo.

"Anou…Ryoma-kun?"

"Hn?" he asked, her hand in his.

She was blushing. There were a lot of things she couldn't understand. "Anou…doushite…"

"Mada mada dane Ryuuzaki," he smirked again. He leaned against the chair, "We have five hours. What do you want to do?"

"Anou…" right, she needed to ask. Because she was wondering why he was holding her hand and why he wanted her to come with him and is he playing her?

"Hn?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Why are you…" she blushed again, her stomach doing some somersaults.

"Don't ask." He opened his eyes, gazed at her and whispered, "Let me just show you."

He would explain everything to her. Once they get to France he would tell her why. Explanations could wait.

Right now, what he wanted to do was brush his lips against hers in the most fleeting of kisses.

And kiss her he did.

--

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? I might make a follow up…or not…I still don't know. Anyway, thanks for those who read and reviewed the other one-shots. I promise to reply to everyone soon. I hope you'll all like this one…

* * *


	5. Moment

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**A/n: **So this is the fifth one…and my swivel thoughts are beginning to disappear…haha, anyway, I don't really know if this is okay…I suddenly thought of it and here it is…

So there. Read and review!

* * *

--

**Title: **Moment

**Genre: **Romance

**Rating: **K

--

--

She was waiting when he arrived at the gate.

Ryoma looked away, not stopping even a step. He walked past her. And she followed.

It was almost like a ritual.

--

She gazed at his back. She couldn't walk beside him. Her clumsy feet force her to always walk behind him.

Sakuno has no idea whether it was alright to wait for him and follow him after class every day. She might be bothering him. But well, if she does, he doesn't show any indication.

Sometimes they make stopovers. A little grip tape here. Cat vitamins there.

It was almost like an addiction.

--

Ryoma couldn't see her but he knew she was behind him. He stopped at the intersection waiting for the vehicles to stop.

Yes, the silence between them was not uncomfortable. It was one of the things he actually looks forward to everyday.

Not that he'd bother to admit though.

He knew he wasn't the type who'd start a conversation. He knew she wasn't either so it struck him as odd when she started one.

--

"Ryoma-kun," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

He turned slightly, a little movement and he could almost see the words forming on her mouth. It felt like a moment taken from another moment where everything is in slow-motion and everything is bright.

"Anou…" she spoke as if on a daze, her eyes not really looking at him, but looking at somewhere he doesn't know, "Would you like me if I were better in tennis?"

He stared at her, first wondering what she meant and then wondering why she asked and then wondering how she managed to ask. He hid his confusion by pulling the bill of his cap.

"Ryoma-kun?"

He was forced to answer. But he couldn't come up with any. He simply shrugged.

And the moment was gone.

--

Sakuno was sure that the question was futile. And that whatever she does to make him like her was also futile.

But she needed to try. At least she could tell Tomo-chan she tried.

Besides she promised Tomo-chan she'd do something really blunt before she gives up.

--

Ryoma watched her discreetly with half-lidded eyes. How was it possible to be so bothered by a simple question?

It felt like a foreboding, like an end to something or something.

He watched her. She was sitting on her desk, writing something on her notebook. Sometime she'd look at Osakada and tell her something or she'd laugh at something Horio was saying. Full of somethings.

He could watch her forever and still not find an answer to her question.

_Would you like me if I am better in tennis?_

--

Sakuno watched his back. She could watch him forever and not be bored. She could watch him and like him more.

She swallowed and asked in the same entranced voice, "Would you like me if my hair was shorter?" She was hoping that time would stop. And it did. For some unknown reason it did. And it felt like a weird feeling altogether.

And just like yesterday, he simply shrugged.

And then the feeling was gone.

The moment was lost.

--

She tried again. When time suddenly seemed to be in slow-motion Sakuno asked, "Would you like me if I were not Sakuno Ryuuzaki?"

She knew he would shrug again.

And she knew the moment would be gone. Again.

He shrugged and just like a hunch, or a gut-feel, the moment was gone.

--

Ryoma watched her. What was it about her that he'd rather have differently?

He squinted his eyes. No, her tennis is poor. But that's a reason for him to teach her. Her hair is long and he often tells her it gets in the way of her tennis. But that's a reason for him to talk to her, her hair is often a topic.

And no, no matter how clumsy, slow, or stuttering she is, he'd not have her any other way.

It was like an epiphany. Suddenly knowing and understanding everything.

He'd have her only as Ryuuzaki Sakuno. Now he could answer her.

--

Ryoma waited for her to ask that afternoon but she didn't.

He turned around, surprising her, "Aren't you going to ask me?"

Her face was flushed. No, it wasn't like when she asked him the questions. She doesn't seem to be like in a trance today.

"Because if you are I am going to answer."

"Y-you don't have to…" she looked away, "I-I already know…"

"Really?" he asked nonchalantly. He was waiting for the sudden brightness of things, the slow-motion but nothing came, "If you already know, then what is it?"

She looked away, "T-that…that you wouldn't like me n-no matter what…"

He smirked. He caught her hand, hoped that everything would turn out right and said, "Wrong. I wouldn't like you any other way."

And he made sure this particular moment would last.

--

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? There are some reviews I haven't responded to yet…

* * *


	6. Uncomfortable

**Wooden Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine… If it were, Ryoma would be cheesy and clingy and Sakuno would be arrogant and offhand…there.

**Author's Notes: **So this is the sixth one…I'm running out of swivel thoughts…anyway, do you want to have sequels to the other one-shots? Tell me so I could try and write some…haha…

Anyway, thanks to those who read and reviewed…I have replied to most but since a deadline is fast approaching I can squeeze replying in…but I managed to squeeze this (uploading) in. On with the story!

* * *

--

**Title: **Uncomfortable

**Rating: **K

**Genre: **Romance/Humor/General

--

Ryuuzaki Sakuno slowly craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of him behind her. He was dozing off and she was certain that any time now the teacher would notice and he'd get detention.

He hadn't even bothered to greet her good morning. After getting restless and to greet her.

She was silently wishing the teacher would notice him. So he'd get detention. So he'd get punished.

She closed her eyes. Uncertainty has lodged itself in the pits of her stomach since last night. The moment right after the kiss was alright but as soon as she was left alone she couldn't be that certain anymore.

Was he playing her?

--

It was lunch time. Sakuno glanced at him again. He was napping. Earlier he was talking to Horio. After that he went out. He passed by her but didn't even bother to smile at her, nor nod at her, even look at her. He passed by like she wasn't there.

It would've been okay. It would've been okay had it happened before yesterday. If he had passed by her in one of those days in the past and if he passed by her without even bothering to look at her it would've been okay. But no, it wouldn't be okay now. Because now is different.

Right?

After yesterday, nothing was okay anymore. Every little movement she caught; every little thing she took note of.

Earlier that morning after the morning practice he ignored her like she was just some random fangirl. At PE before lunch she smiled at him but he looked away.

Right, so probably she was still some random fangirl to him.

Right, so probably the kiss was some random kiss to him.

A kiss he often randomly gives to random girls.

Right. So there was no need to want more. There was no reason to expect more. Because in the first place, there was no _right_ to expect more.

Her heart was starting to break into little pieces.

--

Before the last period that day Sakuno glanced at him again.

She had failed her English pop quiz. She was never really good at it. But it was good because she finally has a valid reason for being sad.

Sakuno swallowed hard. She was giving him until last period, no make that until the end of tennis practice to make it up to her, to talk to her, to explain things to her. She was giving him until the end of the day.

It was the culmination night of the school festival last night. There was a bonfire, loud chanting, other high school students prancing around. They earned much from the café they put up. It was a night of celebration.

And maybe because he was caught up in the exhilaration he approached her. They stood in silence for a long time until she broke it with an "Anou" and he cut her off with a kiss.

And he just held her. He just held her without speaking, without saying anything until the bonfire died out. Then it was time to go home.

Sakuno glanced at his disinterested face again. Her eyes met his and she quickly averted her gaze.

She flushed furiously. Until after tennis practice. Until sunset. She's giving him until the end of the day. After that she's giving up.

--

Sakuno watched from her window. Tomo-chan had gone to the courts to watch the practice matches. She opted to stay inside. If Ryoma-kun really wanted to talk to her he'd look for her. She wasn't going to make it easy for him.

She frowned. Right, that is, if he really is going to look for her.

There's a low probability that he'd look for her. She doesn't really need to be the brightest person to figure that out. But she would still wait.

She would kill time studying. Tomo-chan asked her why she was sad. She told her about the English pop quiz. This was a rare occasion. Being a klutz at something really does have some advantages.

She looked at her quiz paper. Of course it wasn't something she could be proud of. She'd just do her best next time.

--

Sakuno wasn't really good at English, the proof being her pop quiz, so when someone talked to her in English she was dumbfounded. She looked up, and found Ryoma.

"N-na-nani?" she mouthed.

"I was asking if you saw my Math book."

Her brain processed his words, looking out for words like talk, explain, kiss…anything related. But there was none and she couldn't speak anymore.

"I left it here," he started looking under his table.

"Anou…" she started.

"Hn?" he arched a brow, not really looking at her. He sighed when he found what he was looking for.

Sakuno swallowed hard. For some unknown reason she felt like crying. She clutched her pop quiz in her hand and waited for something to come out of her mouth.

He walked back to her, flipping through the pages of his math book. When she didn't speak any further he looked at her. And then at her test paper. He grabbed it.

She felt something rumbling in her chest, some feeling that's making her choke.

"Hn…" he read, "You failed this easy quiz."

"Anou…" her palms were sweating. He was talking to her finally but the thing he was talking about was nothing she would want to talk about.

"Modals," he frowned at her, "I'll run a list of some modals and you repeat after me."

"Hai…" she nodded meekly.

He took the seat across her, "Can. Could. Have to."

"C-can…C-could…Have…have to…"

"Should. Must. Might."

"S-Shou…?" Sakuno felt stupid. Ryoma was showing her the very reason why she should not expect anything from him. Because he was beyond her.

"Should. Must. Might."

"Sh-Should…Must..M-might…"

"Ought to. Shall. Had better."

"Ought t-to…Shall. H-had bet-ter…" it was hard for her to speak a language so foreign.

"Let's do it again so that you'll remember," he said rather smugly. "Can. Could. Have to."

"C-can…Could. Have to…"

He looked at her, "Better. Should. Must. Might."

"Sh-Should. Must. Might." She took in a deep breath.

"Ought to. Shall. Had better."

"Ought t-to…Sh-shall. Had better."

"Again. Those are the basic ones that you should remember."

"Hai."

He smirked, "Can. Could. Have to."

"Can. Could. Have to." The words were coming out easier. Perhaps this was better than nothing.

"Should. Must. Might."

"Sh-should. Must. Might."

"Ought to. Shall. Had better."

"Ought to. Shall. H-had better."

"Can. Could. Have to."

"Can. Could. Have to."

Ryoma smiled. "Should. Must. Might."

"Should. Must. Might." Sakuno was breathing evenly.

"5 pm. Movies. And then dinner."

"5 pm. Movies…mo?" Sakuno's eyes widened.

"So?" his eyes were expectant.

She looked at him. She passed junior high English and knew the English words for 5pm, movies and dinner.

"We don't have all day."

"Anou…" she felt the sudden flowing of words into her mouth so much so that she found it hard to say anything.

"So?"

Now she can't even murmur a word, lest produce something audible.

"Just so you know," he said trying to look offhand, "It wasn't a spur of the moment thing."

This was what she had been waiting for all throughout the day and now that the wait is over she couldn't say anything.

He sighed in feigned exasperation. He stood up, walked over to her and said, "I just know how to cure that." And he bent to kiss her.

That jolted her back and reflexively she avoided him and scurried to her feet, creating a meter-long distance between them.

Ryoma gave her a quizzical look.

"I…I might not…" she started, blushing, "I might not be…able t-to…sleep tonight if you d-do that…again…"

He smirked, the quizzical look gone. "We could talk on the phone."

"E-eh?" she looked up timidly to meet his gaze.

"I said we could talk on the phone if you can't sleep." And then he said in a low, almost-whisper like voice, "I'd probably not be able to sleep again too."

It was like she was watching everything in slow-motion.

"So?" he swallowed hard. He looked at her tentatively. Sure he was uncomfortable. And a bit nervous. And Ryoma Echizen never gets nervous.

Right. She had been worrying for nothing. Sakuno should've known Ryoma never does things randomly. She broke into a relieved smile and whispered, "Hai Ryoma-kun."

--

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? What do teachers teach in highschool English anyway? I first thought of using past continuous stuff but well, Ryoma wouldn't be able to deliver his lines…haha and that would sound much more stupid…haha. So what do you think?

* * *


	7. The discussion

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **Well this took a lot of time though the good thing about oneshots is that you're not pressured to update quickly. Anyway, this is just something that suddenly crossed my mind while killing time. So there. Maybe a bit plotless, a bit OC but anyway, here it is! Read and Review!

* * *

---

**Title: **The Discussion

**Genre: **Romance/General

**Rating: **K

---

She sat in the car looked out and said, "Don't worry Ryoma-kun I—"

"I'm really sorry," he said, resting his head.

She laughed, "I understand, I mean I agreed on everything didn't I? You explained how things are going to be and I accepted them. I mean…it's fine Ryoma-kun…it is…"

"Sakuno," he whispered. He sat up straight, touched her arm and said, "I'm sorry I can't be with you always."

She laughed, "Of course. Don't apologize."

"After the ATP Tour we're going public."

She furrowed her brows, "You aren't going to do that."

"I am. I know how hard it has been for you."

"It wasn't at all."

Ryoma swallowed hard, "About the rumors I am—"

"If you are worried about that," she smiled, "Don't." She knew of course what was true. He always made it a point to have her assured. No matter what, she will always have him. Right?

"You don't believe the rumors?"

"I try hard not to." She smiled.

He frowned, "I didn't have any relationship with any woman other than you."

"Yes. You could have but you never did." Of course there were issues. Issues she should resolve within herself. She was insecure.

"Sakuno."

"I wish we could be together more often."

"That's why we're going public after the Tour."

She looked away, "Don't do that."

"Why not?"

"People…people will say…people will think that…"

He clucked his tongue, "I don't care what people will say. Besides what would they say anyway? That I am so lucky I have someone so pretty like you? Would that be so bad?"

"That isn't what they're going to say."

"You're not a fortune teller."

She looked at him, "You don't need to be a fortune teller to know what they are going to say."

He sighed.

"And it's going to be bad for your career."

"I don't care."

"Ryoma-kun…I am happy with the way we are now…"

"But you said you wish we could be together more often."

"I said that. I said I wish. I didn't say I want."

"Sakuno," he placed a kiss on her mouth, "You know why I want to go public?"

She met his eyes timidly, "Why?"

"Because I'm getting irritated by all those guys hitting on you. I already have a lot in mind, and worrying that some stupid asshole is trying to date you takes up a lot of thinking space. I hit my head with my own racket during the Shinji incident."

She smiled. The Shinji incident. He was some guy she met in grad school. People were thinking that she might be a lesbian and was then forced to date the first one who asked. After the first date Shinji began thinking that they were heading to something more. Things got bad, with the guy stalking her and waiting for her at the gate everyday. She didn't want to inform Ryoma but the news went out, probably through Horio the blabbermouth, and the next thing they knew Shinji was found beaten to a pulp in a dumping area. Ryoma lost a match technically in the Master's Series since he didn't show up.

"It wasn't that hard to track him you know," he said grinning.

She smiled, kissed his cheek and said, "You went overboard."

"Just a bit I have to admit." And he caught her lips in his.

"But that doesn't prove anything."

"You're a trouble magnet." He almost said guy magnet. His girlfriend was that oblivious. It took them seven years to get everything straight. It was kind of a merry-go-round thing. Until, on the eight year, he told her straight out that he liked her ever since. The answer he got was a timid "Me too" and then some crying.

"I can take care of myself."

"I can take care of you. I need to take care of you. Otherwise I'll go insane."

She laughed.

"I can't keep disappearing between matches and making up stupid reasons whenever you get into trouble."

"I don't get into trouble. You just use that as an excuse to come here."

Ryoma rolled his eyes. It seemed that he could show any expression he likes whenever he's with her. "Yeah partly. But still…it's going to be a lot easier. I'd just tell them I need my regular dose of Sakuno otherwise I'm going to flunk down to the 100th spot if they don't allow me."

"That's blackmailing." She touched his lips, "Besides your fangirls are going to hunt me down."

"I'd protect you," he said too seriously.

She laughed hard.

"Believe me."

"I believe you." And she swallowed hard, "It just seemed so…so perfect that sometimes I doubt if this is real…"

"Don't doubt. What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe you are too good for me. I don't deserve you."

He became silent, surprise on his face. After a while he said, "You don't know how many times that thought crossed my mind."

"Ryoma-kun—"

"I sometimes think I don't deserve you. I had hurt you all those years and yet you're still waiting on me."

"I wanted to do that."

"I know. And that's what made it harder. Do I deserve someone so loving like you?"

"Don't be mushy," she reddened, "It's not you Ryoma-kun."

He laughed, "But do you get my point? I'm going to be as mushy as necessary just to make you understand."

"I get it," though of course there were doubts. Would Ryoma be with her had not her grandmother intervened? There were times when she thought it was all because he was feeling obligated that he was staying with her. Because in the first place why would someone so perfect like him want to be with her?

"Don't be insecure."

"I'm trying hard not to."

"I love you."

And she looked up to meet his gaze. "I know you mean it but…"

"But?" he looked worried.

"But I can't help but…"

"Sakuno," and he kissed her, "I love you."

She nodded.

"That's why I want everyone to know."

"I know."

"Then why?"

She hesitated but said, "This sounds crazy but…"

He urged her to continue.

"There are girls better for you than me."

"There's no one that suits me perfectly like you do."

She bit her lower lip, "But surely—"

"Sakuno…"

"As soon as we go public people will start…they will start asking about settling down. I don't want to force you…"

Now that it was mentioned he could no longer hide his agenda, "That's one reason why I want to go public actually…" This would probably be better with a ring. But what the heck, what is important is the here and now.

She furrowed her brows in confusion.

"I know you aren't too keen on getting married yet but I think it's time to…you know…talk about this…"

A small smile tugged at her lips.

"I mean if it's the people who'll start talking about it, I won't feel like I'm pressuring you to consider it and—"

"Ryoma-kun! What were you thinking?" she smiled at herself, at how foolish she had been. It was there all along. He loves her. He said that. He meant that. How foolish was she to doubt? She was worrying for all the wrong reasons.

"H-huh?" he looked puzzled.

A sigh escape her lips and with a quick movement she was on his lap and saying, "You only need to ask."

The instant he understood it a smile spread on his lips. They were both twenty five now. In a year when they are both twenty-six they'd have their first baby. And he'd probably retire. Besides he'd been on number one for the longest time, breaking all records both in the men's and women's tennis. Its time he shifts priorities.

"It's been a long discussion, hasn't it?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah, longer than necessary." He grinned, "I have better plans for the evening."

"Like?" she asked coyly. She felt exhilarated.

"You'll know soon," and he revved the engine. Right, it's high time he shifts priorities and become happy himself. With her.

---

"Ryoma-kun," she whispered.

"Hn?" he turned his head ever so slightly in her direction, keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Just so you know," she blushed, "I love you too."

A grin spread on his lips, "I was wondering when you're going to say that." And then a sigh. A long contented sigh.

---

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? Haha…

* * *


	8. Obsessive

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **I apologize for the super delayed update. Anyway, hope you like this one. I've got nothing much to say. So there. Read and review!

**Title: **Obsessive

**Genre: **Romance/Humor

**Rating: **K

---

---

He was not obsessive. He was never possessive. But he wasn't going to do nothing when people become obtrusive, when people poke their annoying heads into his own business, into his own personal space.

When people do that he becomes territorial. And now that some stupid looking guys are stepping beyond the line, he felt the need to make the mark more visible.

Ryoma Echizen stood up from his seat, and walked over to the seat two rows in front of him to where he would place his mark.

---

She was wondering why her two upperclassmen were there at her classroom, sitting on chairs around her table and talking to her. No, it was plain weird.

She couldn't help but be uncomfortable, getting the idea that they were probably hitting on her.

Ryuuzaki Sakuno wanted to get out but being the respectful kouhai that she was she tried to smile and be polite.

---

Ryoma couldn't help but glare. No, of course not he wasn't possessive. He marched with candor, with his hands in his pocket, one palm clenched. No, he wasn't mad. He was feeling cool. He clenched his hand tighter.

He stopped, the pair of doe eyes turning to him quickly, a blush forming just below those eyes, a quiver on the lips. He stopped and looked at her. He stopped and said, "Ryuuzaki."

The upperclassmen all turned to stare. One stood up quickly, annoyance on his face.

"Iko," he murmured, without even glancing at the two sempais now staring daggers at him.

He was glad she was quick to follow. No, he was not possessive. He simply wanted to keep things in order, to separate his possessions from the rest of the world.

---

"Ryoma-kun?" she asked as they stopped in the middle of the deserted hallway. It was homeroom after all. Thinking about it now, she wondered how her sempais from earlier came to be in their room at that time.

Ryoma frowned.

"D-doushite?" she asked fidgeting.

He removed his sweatband and then, "Here."

"H-huh?" she was puzzled.

He frowned again, grabbed her hand and slipped the sweatband through her wrist.

"R-Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked, blushing.

"Always wear it," he said offhandedly.

She stared at the band. It was his.

And he started walking back to the room. No, he was not really possessive. He simply wanted to mark what is his.

---

A small smile formed in Sakuno's lips.

---

**A/n: **So what do you think? I hope I get a POT idea soon…


	9. Over

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **So here's another one-shot. Someone asked me where I get these ideas. I actually do not know. Hahaha, I just hope that these ideas would keep on coming. Anyway, thanks for the reviews for the last chappie, I haven't replied to most yet but I promise to do my part soon.

So here's the unedited ninth one-shot

* * *

---

**Title: **Over

**Rating: **K+

**Genre: **Romance/Humor

---

Ryuuzaki Sakuno had moved on. Okay, she has to admit that watching him in ESPN makes her heart do some little somersaults but aside from that she was totally over him.

"Right," Tomo said. She wiped her hands on her apron and said, "And Horio's a real tennis genius. I believe you."

Sakuno pouted. She ladled more soup into the bowl she was holding, filled it up to the brim and placed it on the tray.

"Really Sakuno-chan, I mean everyone knows you're still so in love with him."

"No," she said, a hint of steel in her voice. She watched as Horio came to pick up the tray.

"More in the second floor." Horio grabbed a handful of candies, placed it in a jar and said, "Hurry up washing the dishes." Then he disappeared.

"That stupid," Tomo mouthed, turning to Sakuno she said, "Remind me why I joined this soup kitchen."

"Because we want to help the needy and feed the hungry? And we need a couple more units for community service or otherwise we'd fail the graduate course," Sakuno said, ladling soup into a couple of bowls, placing them neatly on trays together with slices of sandwiches.

"Right. Thank you. Where was I?" Tomo stacked the newly washed bowls on one side and tackled the remaining. Three volunteers came and picked up the trays.

"Tomo-chan," Sakuno started, "I'm over him really." Yeah, after the rumors that he got engaged to a model started spreading over the media she was totally over him. There was no point in waiting, or in hoping. Since the beginning he had made it a point for her to understand. She should not hope.

"So aren't you excited that he's coming back?" Tomo said in a serene voice.

"Yes…but…I should not be." She swallowed hard. So she thought there was something special about them. About the two of them before he left for the States. She had hoped, had written, had called, had done a lot of things to keep their communication active. But he didn't return anything. Perhaps he had been too busy. With work, with play. With someone else.

"Well…" Tomo turned slowly to her, "I thought you might want to throw a party for him or something…you know…as a former classmate."

"I could help," she smiled a little. She let a little sigh escape her throat.

"Alright," Tomo stacked the last bowl, rinsed her hands off the suds and wiped them on her apron. "But are you sure? Perhaps you just missed out on something, I mean, we still don't know if the engagement is true or if—"

"Tomo-chan," Sakuno tried to put on her best smile, "Ryoma-kun doesn't like me."

"Oh," for Tomo the admittance was harsh enough. She wondered how Sakuno could keep a straight face after having said that.

"I'm just…I'm simply not good enough for him. Don't think bad of him alright? I know the problem's got to be me. It has to be me. He just…he just doesn't feel the same way," her voice became barely audible.

Tomoka was left speechless. She saw Horio coming through the double doors to deposit a couple of dirty dishes in the sink. How would she pursue the plans now? She glanced at Horio who winked at her, signaled towards the clock and made a face as if to say 'We'll start in twenty minutes'.

"We're almost done for the day," Sakuno said brightly, trying to change the gloomy mood. She helped Tomo finish the remaining dishes.

"Let me have that," she said. If Sakuno decides to leave now the plan would be ruined. "Ryoma-sama's coming home next week."

"Yeah," Sakuno simply murmured, "I could help with the preparations for a homecoming party if you'd like."

"Okay," Tomo forced a grin, "I guess I should throw one, shouldn't I?"

Sakuno merely nodded. She cleared the sink, wiping the tiles and then started putting away all the clutter. "I should be going now."

"Wait, we still have at least ten minutes more," Tomo suddenly said, glancing at the watch.

"I told Kurumi-sensei I'm leaving early today," Sakuno untied her apron, hanged it behind the door and started packing her things.

"Wait," Tomo abruptly said, holding her by the arm. "I still have stuff to do, couldn't you wait for me?"

"Stuff to do?" Sakuno looked quizzical.

"Yeah like…" Tomo looked around, looking for something, "Like tomorrow's menu."

Sakuno smiled, "We had that prepared already."

"I want to change some things."

"We can't simply change the menu. Besides we already bought the ingredients for tomorrow didn't we?"

"But I don't think the menu tomorrow would work," Tomo was running out of things to say.

"Didn't we all come up with that menu?" Sakuno was growing impatient.

"But I just thought that…" Tomo looked around, glanced at the clock and cursed inwardly. Just then Horio entered with the rest of the Ichinen. Tomoka looked relieved. She frowned at Horio and pointed discreetly at Sakuno who proceeded with gathering her stuff.

"He arrived earlier than scheduled," Horio murmured when out of Sakuno's hearing.

Tomo quickly picked up her bag, patted Sakuno and said, "I just remembered I have to pick something up from the Laundromat. I got to run." And without allowing Sakuno to reply she grabbed the Ichinen trio and ran for the door.

Sakuno frowned at the sudden change.

---

Ryoma nodded as the blabbermouth bestfriend, whom he now recalled as Osakada winked at him. She and the Ichinen went towards him.

"Good you're just in time," Osakada said brightly.

"Where is she?" Ryoma asked, a little too impatient. He had been waiting for twenty minutes already. He had heard enough and he needed to make certain things right.

"Inside."

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were already here. We could've left earlier," Kato said.

"Really?" Osakada chimed in, "Oh if I knew you were already here I wouldn't have made all those stupid excuses." And she laughed despite the stares she was getting.

Ryoma slipped his hands in either pocket of his jeans and sighed. Horio must have gotten the innuendo that he was getting impatient so he quickly pushed everyone away to allow him his much needed time with the auburn-head inside.

"Thanks," he muttered before they were completely out of hearing range.

Osakada waved, giving him a good luck sign as Horio and the rest dragged her away.

---

Sakuno was arranging the magnets on the refrigerator when he came. He leaned against the doorframe and heard her muttering to herself. Most were incomprehensible. He listened with amusement as he made out the words weird, stupid, hopeless and was that his name she mentioned? She continued rambling until finally she glanced at the clock and shrieked an "I'm late!" followed by her turning towards the doorway and then suddenly freezing in place when her eyes found him.

He let a little laugh escape his lips. He straightened up, happy that finally she noticed him.

"Ryo-Ryoma-kun?" she murmured.

He scanned her, letting his eyes fall on the low clinging jeans she was wearing to the white fitted shirt to her gaped lips to her pert nose and to her wide doe-like eyes. He noticed that her hair was let loose about her back, the ends wavy with a hint of playfulness. She was pretty, he nodded to himself.

Her brows furrowed and stubbornly she pinched herself. She cringed a little and her face flushed as realization hit her. "I thought…I thought you'd be here next week…what are you…" and she faltered.

"Just so you know," he stared deep into her eyes, "The rumors aren't true."

Her eyes widened and she nervously bit her lower lip. She was so tense she thought she would faint.

The movement caught his eye and almost made him pounce on her but he kept his hold on himself. There were too many things left unsaid and those things would cause them more misapprehension. Better do the explaining now. Besides, he assured himself, after the explaining part is over, he would have a lot of time for other things.

"And I wasn't able to call you back. You should know, with the ATP tour and all I couldn't stay in one place to make a call," he continued, "And all my emails bounced."

"Huh?" she swallowed hard. Does that mean he was trying to contact her? Her mind went hazy as she started theorizing.

"I sent you a postcard but you didn't reply." He said this with a hint of resentment in his voice.

"I…I didn't receive any postcard…"

He shrugged. He'd ask his secretary later. For now, he cleared his throat; he was poised for the attack. He pushed the door closed and locked it. He drew a step closer to her.

Sakuno quickly took a step back and was soon cornered against the refrigerator. She swallowed hard yet again and felt nervous and afraid and excited all at once. She remembered Tomo's reluctance to let her leave, her sudden disappearance with the Ichinen and her insistence that she think through the rumors before giving up on him. Was this planned? Her gaze crawled from his feet to his jeans to his shirt and to his face. She could see the glint in his eyes and the sudden darting of his tongue to glide across his lip brought her eyes down to gaze at his mouth. When had he gotten that close? He smiled smugly and her stomach felt a little queasy.

"So," he said in a deep, raspy voice, "Osakada says you're over me…"

---

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? Don't hesitate to send me what you think. Thanks!

* * *


	10. Harass

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope POT isn't mine…

**A/n: **Yes I know that many have reacted, some quite violently, with the cliffie in the last one-shot. I'll try to write a sequel, and when I say try I mean try as in tentative and the act of trying is also tentative. But don't worry I'll try my hardest to put down something for a sequel, actually I already have a scene in my mind…

Anyway, this one is a bit plotless, going a bit roundabout for most parts…but anyway its Sakuno and Ryoma so beating around the bush is as natural as playing tennis…anyway, what's with the logic? Okay, I would not want to draw you further, go ahead and read!

Enjoy!

* * *

---

**Title: **Harass

**Rating: **K+

---

Sakuno felt the boring glares of her classmates behind her back. She wondered why today was different from the rest of the days. She thought idly of the possible reasons.

Perhaps today she wasn't really lucky, the glares, the murmurs, the glances, and even the _accidental_ tripping. Oh well, she told herself as she hurried to her locker. Perhaps it was that time of the month. Tomo-chan told her that once every month everyone does a consensus on whom to pick on. And this month, everybody gets a chance anyway, she was chosen. So she has to endure it, besides the month's already coming to an end even before she had noticed things happening.

She opened her locker door, found an odd piece of paper and thought that perhaps it was a note she left. She shrugged her shoulders, left the note unread and grabbing her books she scurried off to class.

---

The glares were more than intense when she entered the room. She sat in her seat in front of Ryoma-kun—she was so lucky she had him as her classmate this year—and turned to Tomo-chan, "Good morning!"

"Good morning," Tomo said in a high-pitched voice which was lower than her usual.

"Anything wrong?"

"I haven't finished my homework."

"Which one?"

"Math," Tomo sighed, a long sigh, and then she turned towards Ryoma-kun who was suddenly standing in front of her handing his notebook to her.

"Copy this," he said with a shrug and he went back to his chair and closed his eyes.

"Oh thank you so much Ryoma-sama!" Tomo squealed and with shining eyes jotted down the answers.

"Thank you Ryoma-kun," Sakuno murmured turning slightly red. She knew of course that it wasn't to her whom Ryoma gave his answers to, but anyway, she felt a little obliged to thank him since he had done her bestfriend a favor.

"Hn," he crudely mumbled with half-lidded eyes.

---

"Haven't you noticed," Tomo said in between bites, "Ryoma-sama is really nice lately."

"I think he's still the same," Sakuno answered, a rush of warmth flooding her face.

"And haven't you noticed," Tomo finished her bento, "Ryoma-sama is especially nice to you."

"I haven't…" true, she hadn't noticed anything unusual with him these past days but she noticed that he had been quite different from his usual arrogant, I-don't-care-about-the-rest-of-the-world self. "I think he's still the same," she shook the thoughts out of her mind. Maybe he was going through a phase or something, something similar to his self-actualization thingy that he did in the friendly game with the American Team.

"You must be blind," Tomo said indignantly, "I mean, didn't you notice every girl staring daggers at you?"

"I thought you said it happens to everyone every month?"

"I said that but I think I also said that nothing like that happened in like five years since the then principal found out about it and like punished those who joined."

"Ah," she murmured, "Maybe it's happening again."

"I doubt. Before, they pick on somebody for no apparent reason. But this time, I mean, don't you still get it, Ryoma-sama has been especially nice to you, and even to me too since I'm your bestfriend and then everyone started acting crazy. That means, in case you didn't get it, they're targeting you for a reason."

Sakuno seemed thoughtful for a while and then said, "I think they're mistaken. Ryoma-kun is nice to everyone."

"He is Ryoma-sama. He is not nice." Tomo's eyes were widening like saucers. "I think you should ask him about this. To clear things up."

"How would talking to him clear things up?"

"Either, A. he tells you you're mistaken and everyone becomes happy or B. he tells you you're special to him and everyone will stop harassing you and you will be happy."

Sakuno reddened, just the though of talking to him makes her nervous. "I don't think I can do that."

"Whatever Sakuno."

"Maybe I should do some observing first. I think after this month people will stop acting weird about me."

"This isn't going to end in a month Sakuno-chan."

"Well, let's see…"

---

The next month things have become more disastrous. Sakuno's _accidental_ trips have been more frequent, her things had gone missing, the bathroom floor had become more slippery than ever causing her a sprained ankle and a numbed arm.

She groaned inwardly as she heard the bell ring. Tomo-chan was sick and had not gone to school and that meant eating lunch alone. Perhaps she could join the Ichinen or her sempai's at the court for lunch. But that would be embarrassing since Ryoma-kun would most likely be there.

She stood up and was surprised to see everyone staring openly at her. Okay, so maybe Tomo was right. People weren't just glancing nor glaring behind her back anymore but staring openly at her.

She excused herself, hurried to the door and to her surprise found Ryoma-kun by the door.

"You're slow," he said in a low voice.

"Huh?"

"Come on," he steadied his gait, slipped his hands inside either pockets and beckoned her to follow.

"But Ryoma-kun," she murmured. She glanced back and saw more people staring.

He turned around, slipped out a hand from his pocket and grabbed her hand. "Come on."

Sakuno turned a bright shade of red as she felt Ryoma's tight grip on her hand. Oh well, she might as well just die really soon.

---

"Don't mind them," he said after a really long stretch of silence. He munched on an onigiri which she made. They were sitting in a corner on the rooftop, eating lunch.

"Y-yes," Sakuno murmured. She ate her food in silence, unable to either say anything or even glance at him. She felt confused and mad and ashamed and timid and flustered and worried and, did she say confused?

"People don't just know when to accept the truth, don't they?" he suddenly blurted out.

She wasn't sure whether she should comment or not. But since it ended with a question mark she thought she should give a little comment. Trying hard to come up with a comment, Sakuno realized she didn't get what he said.

"Hn…" he murmured, sipping water from his tin, "Do you even understand?"

She timidly shook her head.

"As expected," he shrugged again, a gesture that made Sakuno fidget.

She frowned a bit, a move that even surprised herself. She was expecting him to explain and not insult her. Tomo-chan was right, he is Ryoma-kun and Ryoma-kun is never nice.

"I guess it's time I do some explaining, don't you think?"

Sakuno furrowed her brows. Ryoma-kun has developed a habit of adding tag questions to his statements. Was he really expecting a response from her? She cleared her throat, "Uhmm…I don't really understand…"

"Of course," he said in a low voice, a smile playing across his lips. He slowly looked up at her, crossed the distance between them like a cat and whispered, "People are behind that door," he gestured to the door leading down, "And they are waiting for something to happen."

Sakuno reddened at the proximity but her mind was suddenly turned to the idea of having people eavesdropping on them. No, only their sempais do that, don't they? Now she was turning into Ryoma-kun.

"Everyone," he whispered, "They're waiting for something to happen."

"Ryoma-kun?" his breath on her face reminded her of his proximity and once again she blushed. She swallowed hard. "What would they be waiting for…?"

"This," and in a swift move he pressed his lips against hers, his palms laid flat against the concrete floor.

Sure Sakuno heared the hushed gushes and the murmurs but her mind quickly turned them off as Ryoma insisted that she focus only on him. Her face turned beet red as she tried to organize the events leading to this moment.

He pulled slowly, an expectant look on his face. "I guess that would end the harassment don't you think?"

Harassment? Ah, it clicked in her mind. She wanted to say something but was too shocked to even breathe.

"Sakuno…" he murmured.

She didn't quite grasp the rest of what he said, him saying her first name flooded her mind and left her unable to do some listening and some much needed comprehension.

"What do you say?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.

She looked at his mouth inadvertently and he seemed to have noticed because he suddenly smiled. "W-what did you say?"

He pouted, inched closer, lowering his head to peer into her eyes, "You weren't listening."

She swallowed hard. Was Tomo-chan right all along? Was he being extra nice to her? And if he was does it mean anything? Perhaps, perhaps it meant something since he probably wouldn't kiss her if he didn't mean anything by his nice gestures. "I…I just didn't…" she was becoming cross-eyed looking at his mouth; he was inching closer, she could feel his breath on her mouth.

"Oh well," he moved closer still, his hands now at the concrete ground beside her, successfully trapping her. Her legs felt stiff from Indian sitting the whole time and she wanted to move them but she couldn't even order her limbs to move. And so for the second time that day, Ryoma kissed her.

---

The fact that people were still whispering whenever she passes didn't slip her. But surprisingly the harassment had stopped. Just like what Ryoma-kun told her.

Ryoma had kissed her more than she would allow him if she had any say in the matter of kissing to begin with. He seemed to have developed a knack for suddenly kissing her. She had lost count since the day he first kissed her and that was only a week ago.

Sakuno opened her locker door, found a note. It was the note she always disregard, thinking that it was just some random scribble she did and threw in her locker. But since she has still a couple of minutes before class she picked the note, unfolded it and read.

The first line rang in her ears.

"Hey," and a pair of arms slid around her waist, making her unable to go beyond the note.

She turned, went beet red and nodded at Ryoma-kun.

"What's that?" he arched a brow and reached a hand to grab the note from her. He read and a wry smile spread on his mouth, "Your expression tells me you've just seen this."

Sakuno nodded meekly, trying to hide her blush.

He let out an exasperated sigh, resting his hands on her hips, "That's why."

"I'm sorry," she smiled tentatively, "If I had read it perhaps…"

"Perhaps?" he smiled wickedly, "And I was thinking that maybe you have someone else in mind. So maybe it was a good thing people bullied you."

Sakuno couldn't help but smile. If her schoolmates didn't harass her she might not have noticed something was up with Ryoma. "Next time I'll read every note you give me."

He smirked, "There would be no next time."

"Huh?" her eyes widened.

"There would be no need for another confession," he pulled her closer.

She found herself giggling despite herself. She feigned a pout and then whispered, "Arrogant. And you sounded like a lost puppy in the letter," she imitated his voice and mockingly said, "_I like you Ryuuzaki, do you like me too?_"

He smiled smugly, "And what do you say?"

She looked up, found his eyes and sighed, "Having you around saves me from being bullied…so I guess I don't mind having you at all…" and she blushed furiously.

And Ryoma laughed, "Little liar. You are in love with me."

Sakuno found his hand on her hip and wounded her fingers with his, "I guess so…" and she smiled, drawing him to the hallway. She took in a deep breath as she noted everyone abruptly turning to look at them, "We're going to be late Ryoma-kun." And perhaps getting all the attention isn't that bad at all.

---

* * *

**A/n: **You know the drill guys...

* * *


	11. Reading minds

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **So this is supposedly a continuation of the ninth one-shot. It could stand on its own nevertheless. But please find that the beginning of this story doesn't coincide with the ending of _Over. _Anyway, but this is a nice closure for that cliffie of a fic.

So I'm planning on doing a poll…you'll find out at the end of this one-shot…

Read and review!

* * *

---

**Title: **Reading minds

**Rating: **K+ (for Ryoma's innuendo-filled dialogue…he can't help it, he may not talk much bit his pretty head's full of stuff we just can't imagine…)

---

Sakuno shifted, wringing her hands. She looked up and then down and then back to where her eyes had started—on his face.

He smiled smugly, took liberty in touching her back and held her against the lavatory.

She fumed. First it was the refrigerator, and now the lavatory! She curled her fists, looked away and found that there were plates Tomoka had left unwashed. "Release me," she wondered if her voice rang clear and strong. She would not want him making fun of her.

"Hn," he only shrugged and buried his nose in her shoulder, "Osakada says you're over me."

"I have things to do Ryoma-kun," she swallowed hard. The fact that she was late for her rendezvous unnerved her. Of course she was always late but she had made a resolution, last New Year's celebration in fact, that she would never be late again. She might as well just cancel her study date.

"Study date?" he arched a brow. How did he know? "Study date with whom?"

"With a friend. I have to go now Ryoma-kun…so release me please," she held a finger up, telling him wordlessly he could not get any closer.

"You are not going anywhere," he lazily drawled, ignored her raised finger and once again buried his face in her shoulder.

"I do not know why you are here," she whispered. Ryoma was never this physical with her. Never this conversational, never this possessive. She had known of course what she was to him and even though he came back just to tell her that the rumors about him getting engaged to a model were not true, it still doesn't prove anything.

"I didn't come back just to falsify the rumors you know," he mouthed.

_How did he…?_ She blushed. "I do not…" she faltered.

He laughed, a low smug laugh and he pulled back, pinched her nose thoughtfully and said, "You are funny Ryuuzaki."

She blushed even more despite herself and she quickly shoved him away, a bit more forcefully than what she intended. She almost look apologetic but realizing that at least that allowed her some much needed breathing space, she backed into a corner and started doing the remaining dishes.

"Let's grab something to eat before we go home," he murmured in her ear as he stood close behind her, his hands on her hips.

She flinched, shuddered and forced her mouth to form words, "I have dishes to finish cleaning." And she rolled the words he said once more in her mind and wondered what he meant when he said home. She reddened, "And I am not going anywhere with you."

He chuckled and then kissed the lobe of her ear, "I called Ryuuzaki-sensei. She said you could go _home_ with me." And he smiled against the sensitive skin over the pulse in her neck.

Sakuno blushed even more if that was possible. She scrubbed the dishes, almost dropped one plate and cursed inwardly.

"So?" he moved over to rest one elbow on the sink, his eyes calculating, watching, knowing she could not say no.

"I have dishes to—"

"I'll help you," he grinned, a lazy grin, a lazy grin that seemed to say _you can't get away from me_. He slipped on the rubber gloves, grabbed a sponge and started scrubbing.

"Do you know how to?" she asked, frowning still, grabbing the plate from him.

"It's fairly easy," and he grabbed the plate back.

Easy? Everything was easy for him. She shook her head. No, she was not an easy girl and if he wanted her he just couldn't walk away from her life and come back anytime he feels like it. And why now? Why just now?

"I have to leave again soon, but of course it wouldn't be without you. And to your other concern, I thought the rumors were serious enough to make you worry so I came back," he smiled.

She gave him a look of surprise, then of trepidation and she backed away, "Can you read minds?"

Ryoma gave her a look of disbelief and he sighed exasperatedly, "Come here," he grabbed her hands she had buried in the soapy water with the plates. He held hers with his own gloved ones. "Still clueless eh?" and he chuckled.

"You are not Ryoma-kun…" she whispered, dread in her eyes, "You could read minds."

"Right and I am going to bite you and suck your blood," he whispered back, amusement in his voice. "Stop talking to yourself. You'll think everybody could read minds or something."

Her eyes widened, blush creeping to her cheeks. _Talking to myself?_ She blushed yet again and found herself slinking against him.

"Let's finish this, grab something to eat and go home," he said seriously.

"Ryoma-kun, just so you know, I am…I am…" she couldn't bring herself to tell him she was finally over him.

"What? That you are over me? Prove it," he said, unblinking, "And didn't I tell you to stop talking to yourself?"

She reddened. She looked away. She was not talking to herself. "I-I am not…I am not talking to myself."

He arched a brow, a smug action that told her he has the situation under control and that he has her under his control. "You know you are not over me."

"Don't be so smug," she frowned. She freed her hand from his hold and wrung it dry. The moment he tried to grab it again she flinched and accidentally hit him in the jaw.

He groaned. Bubbles flew everywhere.

"Oh Ryoma-kun!" she panicked, saw him clutching his jaw. "I didn't mean to."

"Cruel," he murmured underneath his breath. He massaged his sore jaw with his thumb.

"I am sorry," she fidgeted, wanting to touch the bruised skin but fighting the urge to go all over him. Maybe she needed to remind herself that she was over him. Right?

"You hurt me," he pouted.

The frown was back on her face. Ryoma whining?

"I am not whining," he told her flatly. He straightened up, rubbed his jaw one last time and looked her in the eye, "I don't like explaining to people and when I have to do it I don't want doing it twice. So here's the deal and listen carefully because I don't want to explain thrice."

Her ears perked and her eyes widened. Ryoma was really serious.

"I came back to tell you the rumors weren't true. And just so you know I haven't dated anyone since I left Japan." He gave her an expectant look, "And since I know that you are slow to pick things up I thought that I should just go back and stay for a while and show you myself what I mean."

Her lips parted to speak but unfortunately, as with every other moment like this, words left her.

"And when I said I wanted to show you what I mean I meant like this," and he scooped her in his arms, her back pressed against the lavatory once more and shifted his foot between hers, nudging her knees apart, trapping her lest she tries to pry herself away, and covered her mouth with his.

Sakuno wanted to think but think she could not. His scent invaded her senses, his touch froze every thinking nerve and soon she found herself returning his kisses.

"Do you get it now?" he asked breathless. He tilted her chin, pressed closer and breathed into her ear.

She thought. She thought really hard. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to try once more. And he seemed so sincere in telling her that he wanted her back. And with the ongoing tour he just couldn't leave for the country hassle-free. It must have taken him a lot to be here even in the midst of the tour. She shifted, looked up into his eyes and thought that maybe she should give him a chance. And besides, he was the only one she had ever wanted. She might just go home with him tonight.

"Good and thanks for the chance," he murmured in her ear, "I wouldn't waste it. And I would love to go home with you tonight." He grinned and watched as Sakuno's eyes widened. He kissed her mouth soundly, "And well, you talking to yourself might have some perks after all." And he kissed her again.

---

* * *

**Omake:**

Read this cute omake (for one-shot 8) from fuji-lawliet-chan…I didn't know if you guys have seen it in the reviews page but anyway, as a form of thanks…

Ryoma at practice the same afternoon.  
"Ne Echizen? Where's your sweatband?" Momo asked.  
"Yeah Ochibi! You always wear that thing around your wrist!" The hyperactive senpai questioned.  
"Hn. I guess I forgot to put it on this morning." The tennis-prince replied.  
"You forgot to put it on "yourself" this morning?" Fuji-senpai asked, his sadistic smile in full bloom at the moment.  
"Hn?" Ryoma tried to look as if he was still in his "cool" attitude. But inside, he was freaking out. If the senpais knew that Sakuno had it, they'd glomp him to death and never let the fact, that their "Ochibi" gave a girl something of his, go.  
"I mean, you forgot to put it on "yourself", but remembered to put it on someone else." The sadistic-senpai rephrased, as he pointed towards a girl sitting on a bench watching her grandma's team practice and trying to calm her extremely loud pig-tailed friend down.  
Everyone turned to where Fuji was pointing and saw that Ryuzaki Sakuno was wearing THE Echizen Ryoma's sweatband.  
"Che." Ryoma uttered as he cursed at his senpai under his breath.  
It took a while for it to all register in everyone's minds. But in the sadistic senpai's mind, he was just laughing at how well his plan worked, and he was glad to see his kouhai starting to realize his true feelings towards a certain girl with braids.

Cute eh? Thanks fuji-lawliet-chan!

* * *

**A/n: **So how was it? Anyway, for the poll this is what I have in mind…I'm thinking of making a sequel for some of the one-shots I've posted so far. The ideas though are hazy and I may or may not quickly post the sequel as I may have other ideas I wanted to post first. But anyway, here's the poll: Which one-shot would you like me to make a sequel on? Except for one-shot 9 which has a sequel now.

So is it 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 10?

Thanks! Anyway, I hope you know the drill...

* * *


	12. Dreams

**Wound up**

**Bye hye-kyo**

**

* * *

  
**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine...

**Author's Notes: **Anyway, just to give an update, the mini poll isn't going well...so far I have ties among 3,4,6,7. It's really hard when people make more than one choice ne? And much harder when people not just make two or three choices but chooses all...so since I couldn't decide yet which sequel to write yet I'll give you all this one-shot.

Here's nothing much. And probably people will kill me from giving another cliffie, oops, spoiler. Anyway, a little rated T for innuendos, implications, a little action here and there and well...Ryoma's a bit ecchi actually so there. I'm rambling there, read and review.

BTW, have you noticed the ideas have been getting more and more mature...it must be Kakashi getting to me...

* * *

---

He knew it was a dream.

He knew it the very first moment Ryuuzaki came to him wearing a weird dress, made of an almost translucent kind of cloth with ruffles at the hem that dipped so dangerously low down her sternum. She was white, extremely white, her mouth a bloody red and her fingers cold and hard.

She smiled at him coyly through half-lidded eyes and skimmed the floor as she settled on his lap, a movement that was clearly un-Ryuuzaki. He barely noticed the weirdness of the surroundings—thick velvet curtains, lace bed covers and dusty wooden floorboards—as she lifted a moonlight-striped hand and rested it against his cheek which was now warm.

He opened his mouth to speak, tried to conjure up a cocky remark but found her smile so appealing and wicked all at the same time that it left him speechless.

He watched as she stood up slowly, deliberately, her hands trailing the buttons down his shirt. She giggled softly as he released a pained groan and held her hand up as if to tease him more. "Ryoma-kun," she sing-sung his name and slowly traced her neckline with the same fingers. Easing the shoulders of her dress off her she stood closer, leaning to allow him a view of what lay hidden beneath the folds of clothes and giggled again as he gritted his teeth.

She brought his hand to her mouth and darted her tongue slowly, caressing the center of his palm, her eyes trained on him all the while. As if on cue she dropped his hand on his lap and removed the rest of her garments unceremoniously and was left with a white camisole and her panties. Ryoma almost fainted.

"Make love to me Ryoma-kun," she whispered, climbing on the bed, resting her knees on either side of him. She sat down on his lap, effectively straddling him, locking him onto place and she cupped his chin on her palms.

"Ryuuzaki...I-I..." he never stuttered, not even once. And because he stuttered he knew it was a dream. And since it was a dream he'd make the most out of it. He leaned closer.

"Yes? Is it a yes Ryoma-kun?" she spoke into his mouth and brushed her lashes on his cheek as she dipped her head to kiss the underside of his chin.

He almost swore aloud. And he did really swear under his breath when her mouth found its way on his neck, a consistent little hushed sucking and her hands slipped inside his shirt to trace the planes and lines of his chest before finally resting her head against his shoulder to whisper in his ear, "I'd love to if you would..."

"Y-yes..." he choked and the moment he said it her mouth was on his, a hungry, passionate exploration and they tumbled on the bed. She hovered above him, an implacable smirk on her pretty face and gave him a heated kiss once more before pulling over the side of his neck to whisper his name, "Ryoma-kun...".

He almost turned her head back to him but the moment he felt the sudden sharp stinging pain on his neck he froze. He slowly touched her hair, felt her bent against his neck, the coppery smell of blood in the air and he knew, then he knew, it was a dream.

Yet the pain and pleasure were so real he doubt it was really a dream. He felt himself blackening out like he had been hit with a hammer on the head or something and realized that it must be the end. Dream or not he just could see himself getting all white up from being drained off blood, with a furious erection being strained by his jeans.

Paparazzi would have a field day.

---

He woke up, a cold sweat running down his back. Ryuuzaki was a vampire. And it was all a dream.

Ryoma looked at himself and found the mess he made of his sheets. Right, he needed to wash his sheets otherwise he would make it to headline today: _Tennis star wets his sheets. Again. _Or something. He stood up, gathered the sheets and shoved them in the tub. He turned the tap on and let water run through the linens.

Ryuuzaki. He shook his head, too vivid for a dream. He had been having dreams about her lately, well wet dreams to be specific, one was about her and him making out in the airplane restroom when the plane was hijacked and bombed. Then there was one on a hospital bed with her as a nurse when paparazzi came in and blinded him with shutters, then there was one where he actually stripped down in front of her because she said so and unknowingly the whole thing was televised. And there were a lot more. A lot more morbid dreams involving her and his stupid desires.

Maybe it was what going back to Japan could do. He sat on his bed, ran a hand through his hair and thought that the only medicine for these stupid dreams cum nightmares was to actually satiate his desires. And then he would no longer dream about her.

But who was he fooling? He knew that satiating his desire once would only make him want her more. He sighed. Was he ready for this? He didn't know Ryuuzaki had such a hold on him.

So he'd call her. Vampire or not he'd call her.

---

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**A/n: **You know the drill guys...

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	13. The date

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **Okay, I haven't replied to most so I'd try to do it here. For the vampire comments…I'm actually not a big fan of Twilight and Meyer, the vampire ideas were from Christine Feehan's Dark series (a genre I don't usually read) and from Angela Carter's House of Lady Love, a story in the collection Bloody Chamber. Feehan's are a bit dark, sensual, mature…Carter's…hmm…dark, sensual and mature…alright. I didn't like Twilight that much (but don't get mad just because I don't okay?). About the one-shot _Harass,_ some commented that it sounded so Twilight, I had to say I kind of thought it over once I read the comment and realized that maybe yes but actually the idea was from one of Feehan's characters in the series…maybe you should go check those out. Okay since I'm already rambling why not tell you more? So this is a continuation of the sixth one-shot…I love you guys and would try to make sequels for most but some ideas might come up and well, I prioritize new ones rather than sequels so I hope it's okay for you. But anyway, the poll didn't help much so I just decided to make a sequel for the sixth (it was one of the top choices anyway). So this has been very long…

Read and review!

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**Title: **The date

**Genre: **Humor/Romance/Angst from Ryoma's POV/Action (almost, had Ryoma stayed for more than he bargained for)/Suspense (again…almost, had Ryoma stayed for more than he bargained for)/Supernatural (erm…again, almost, had Ryoma stayed for more than he bargained for)

**Rating: **K+ (reverting to K+, Ryoma's a kid after all…)

---

It turned out to be the worst first date ever. Not that he had a first date before. Having a first date before this one would not qualify it as a first date anymore. A second yeah, and probably a third. But no, this wouldn't be a first date anymore if he had gone out with someone else before.

But of course it was the first date. He would never, ever, go out with someone else other than the brunette walking beside him. She may be a little klutz but she was the one he liked. And yeah, he doesn't like too many people, he doesn't easily fall into liking someone. So liking her was something. Something. He knew it.

He regarded her, a frown on his face. The first date, his very first date, their very first date, and most likely her very first too, was the worst. He had read, he had done his part of the research before going out into the wild world of dating and asking her out. Perhaps he should have asked Momo-senpai...or even Tezuka-buchou...

"Ryoma-kun..." she started but faltered when he arched a brow. The girl was too timid, too frightened. So maybe he has to be a little gentle, a little less intimidating.

"Yeah?" he asked. He had a bad taste in his mouth. Perhaps if he had been a little more prepared. Perhaps if the events leading to this were a bit more normal. A bit more not-sudden. A bit more gradual.

It was like a sci-fi movie or something. Like something was totally happening in slow motion and then a bright light appeared from nowhere and suddenly he was walking towards her as the bonfire burned after the festival, as everyone threw more driftwood, as the night grew on, as it became darker. And he kissed her.

No, it wasn't that he was regretting kissing her. He knew it was inevitable. That sooner or later it was bound to happen. Ryuuzaki was the girl he liked and that kissing her was predetermined. It was something he would do so even at the expense of a tennis match. But he never expected it to happen out of the blue. He had imagined a gradual development, through time, like walking her home and letting the days passed with them getting closer and closer until kissing her would be as natural as playing tennis.

But no he just had to destroy his plans for gradual development with his urges. And he was just fifteen! And he has urges! He shook his head inwardly. He was Ryoma Echizen. And having urges? Now he couldn't look at her without thinking of kissing her again. And even without looking at her it was all he could think of.

"Ryoma-kun?"

He looked up, found that they were very near her house. How did it all lead to this? Ah, he cursed himself, it started with the movies. Of course he knew her clumsy tendencies but he never expected that clumsiness to rub off on him. If he had not lost the tickets at least the date would have some redeeming quality. But he lost them and was unlucky enough not to have more seats available and was much more unlucky to have the next movie playing rated eighteen.

But that didn't end there. Ryuuzaki just smiled and told him it was okay and that while they think of what to do next, could they eat somewhere? He brought her to a little pasta and pizza place that served nice food, a little pricier than usual but heck it was their first date and this was Ryuuzaki and he was willing to spend more than necessary.

So he ordered them quite a feast and as luck would have it he discovered he had forgotten his wallet.

"It's okay," she told him and got the check herself. Ryoma couldn't believe the utter self-effacement he suffered just in one day.

With no money he wanted to just end the date but the girl looked eagerly at the Ferris wheel at the amusement park they passed so he made one more self-effacing move. "You want to go?" he had asked knowing full well what her answer was going to be.

She smiled, a little blush that crept from the corners of her cheekbones to settle as the prettiest, most adorable blush he had ever seen. He knew he blushed himself. "Could I borrow some money then?"

"You don't have to," she said, now tentatively holding him by the arm to half-drag him to the entrance. She opened her wallet just as he opened his mouth to protest and paid the entrance tickets. Soon she was dragging him to the Ferris wheel.

"Don't be upset," she told him as she scooted closer to him when they got on the ride, "Just think that...that I'm the one taking you out on a date this time..." and she blushed once more, the last two words sounded like an afterthought.

Alright, he had told himself. But with the way things were going how the heck was he going to have another kiss?

"Ryoma-kun," the flashbacks gone, she stopped in front of the gate and smiled a little tentatively at him. He had to smile back even though he couldn't look her in the eyes right now.

"Good night then," he murmured.

"It's been a wonderful day," she added cheerfully.

"I'm sorry," he suddenly blurted out.

She was silent for a long while and he titled his head and stared at her mouth which slowly formed a little o. He had the strongest urge then to kiss her. But her mouth finally relaxed and the little o disappeared.

"I said I'm sorry," he repeated, wanting to see if the she'd form the little o again with her mouth.

She shook her head, "There's no need to be. It was the best day of my life." She spoke in a soft voice but still he heard her clearly.

He took in a deep breath, "I was too..." he faltered. Weird things had been happening. The blushing, the urges, the clumsiness, the stuttering. Maybe this love thing was not so healthy.

"Thank you," she murmured timidly when void filled the silence. "I wish we could…do it again…It was fun…"

"Weird though," he finally managed out, "You know I'm not this clumsy."

And she giggled. Of course she knew, she had been watching him from the sidelines for a long time. She had not been watching for nothing.

"Well," he finally broke into a little smile. Weird yeah but not bad. He had enjoyed himself, if he squinted his eye and blind himself from the fact that all of today's activities were courtesy of Ryuuzaki the date could just pass for a good first date. Right. He'd just squint a little.

"I should get going then," she slowly pushed the gate. It didn't creak and he somehow wished it did so the air would not be so still, like something was waiting to happen, like he was waiting for something to happen, like he was waiting to do something so it will happen, like he was planning, amid all his failures today, for something to happen. Just like the way he was slowly inching closer to her to make that something happen.

"Ryuuzaki…" and he kissed her. For the first time that day, for the second time in their relationship. And he was determined to kiss her again and again had it not been for the padded footsteps slowly echoing closer.

"Ryoma-kun," she breathed and pulled back, blushing. She beckoned towards the door and as if on cue it opened and her grandmother was standing there.

"Such a gentleman Echizen," her grandmother said, a visible knowing look in her eyes, "Now hurry on so you'll catch the bus."

"I don't take the bus coach," he said, his eyebrow pulsing ever so slightly. He needed more time. He needed more kiss.

"Oh well then, the streets are dark. Isn't Nanjiroh looking for you?" she matched the squint in his eyebrow.

"No coach. I told him I'd be late. Besides the streets are well-lighted."

An arched brow. She seemed to be calculating and Ryoma darted her eyes to the nervously grinning Sakuno beside her grandmother. Another kiss and he'll be off happily. "Coach, do you mind giving me and Ryuu-Sakuno a bit more private time? Five minutes and I'll be off."

Another arch if that was even possible. Sumire seemed to think it over and finally with a sigh she said, "Alright. Five minutes and Inui's new concoction for you tomorrow if you are still here by then." And she chuckled, a little malevolently, and closed the door with a dry click.

Ryoma bowed a little after her retreating figure and turned to face the brunette. "Tomorrow again. Tomorrow we could do anything you want, without you having to pay for it." He tried not to blush. He cleared his throat after saying something which clearly was something that hurt his male ego but anyway, he had a kiss and a kiss was worth it all. And another kiss would make it better. He leaned closer.

"I had told you I would not be able to sleep if you did that again," she murmured even as she inched closer to meet his.

He smiled against the kiss and murmured as they both pulled back, "We could talk over the phone. Haven't I told you that already?" And the last second ticked off and he needed to go home.

And home he did go to. So he could call her. He told her they could talk over the phone anyway.

---

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**A/n: **So…you know what to do guys…

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	14. Serendipity

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope, POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **I haven't updated in a while. But anyway, here's a nice little and unedited one-shot for all of you. Hope it makes up for all the delay.

Read and Review!

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**Title: **Serendipity

**Rating: **T (for thoughts, duh)

---

He sat across her in the train. He had not really noticed her the moment she stepped in. He was not really looking at anything in particular, just flipping through the book he found in a little bookshop he passed from the airport. He was headed to nowhere in particular, coming back to Japan was a spur of the moment thing.

It was only after three stops that he noticed her. Her drooping form amid the grocery bags on her lap and feet were enticing to most men, she was fair game to the train lechers.

He would have played blind had he not realized that that was Ryuuzaki Sakuno and that she was, just by looking at her, suddenly making him feel things which were rather new, weird yet not entirely repulsive.

He stood up, much to his own surprise, and the others as well, for he was seated rather comfortably and crossed the people-filled distance between them. He took the handrail directly above her, and placed himself in front of her.

Five stops later when the train reached a connecting station the number of people decreased. It was a Sunday night and everyone was going home. The girl seated beside her got off at the next stop and he took the seat, once again flipped through the book he was holding.

Perhaps it was coincidence, or serendipity to be more romantic, that he met her again after so many years in the train of all places. It brought to mind their awkward way of meeting for the first time and he smirked to himself knowing that after all these years she still seemed to be the clumsy girl he first met on the train.

He felt her head lolling to the side, resting on his shoulder. He shook his head, she should have ridden in the female area car if she was going to sleep like a log. Her body pressed closer but he decided he did not mind since she was soft and she smelled good and right now he felt like a pervert. He eased to his side such that he almost faced her with half his body, his back against a rail and her head fell slowly on the crook of his neck, her mouth brushing softly against the sensitive skin under his ear. He shuddered.

"Ryuuzaki," he murmured as she made wordless murmurs in her throat. The groan he stifled came as a whimper which earned him suspicious glances from the women sitting across them. He cleared his throat, murmured her name again and closed the book and placed it back on his lap.

They passed the stations in a blur for he was too keen on not making her fall any further towards him for that would drive him insane. Being that close was making him feel things that he knew was inappropriate and that those feelings would eventually show through the material of his shorts and he knew that it would be too embarrassing.

The train came to a stop, the driver saying that they reached the last station, have a good evening, blah, blah and then security was suddenly in front of them asking if something was wrong and that it was the last station and they needed to get off.

Ryoma sighed, beckoned to the sleeping woman beside him and told the guard he was trying to wake her up but she just wouldn't.

"Is she your friend?" the guard was becoming suspicious. Cases of train abductions were not unheard of.

"She's my," Ryoma felt a blush coming to his face which he didn't like. The girl stirred again, her mouth against his neck as her arms snaked about his.

"You know her?" the guard inquired again.

"She's my wife," he managed and felt something hot pool low. Now he couldn't think straight.

"Alright," the guard arched a brow, clearly not believeing and turned to the sleeping Sakuno, "Miss...miss wake up."

"Ryuuzaki," he murmured, his hands gently tapping her shoulder to rouse her from sleep. He didn't know she was that deep sleeper.

Exactly seven more minutes and she was finally awake, her eyes blinking at the security. Clearly it hasn't registered to her yet.

"Take your wife home mister," the guard was completely annoyed.

"Thanks," he managed. He would be too if he was the guard but well he wasn't the guard so he was not really annoyed because now the gears in his head are turning. Ryuuzaki caused him a delay because he didn't get off at his supposed stop (though he didn't really have an exact place he wanted to get off to, but still he could have gotten off somewhere near his hotel but he didn't because of her).

"Anou..." she murmured, her eyes wide as she tried to comprehend the situation.

"Come on," and he grabbed the grocery bags with one hand, made her carry the lightest and took her hand with his free one.

He knew getting off would be as troublesome as waking her up. He had to explain to the personnel that they missed their stop and could they just pay the right fare for the last station? He said they needed to get home, his wife was not feeling well and she was having a delicate pregnancy. He realized that was the longest time he'd ever talked, the most words he'd said so far.

He glanced at Ryuuzaki who was still confounded and bewildered. The personnel agreed, expressed concern over his "wife" and told him the amount he needed to pay. He left more than necessary and hurried through the station to get a cab.

"Where do you live?" he asked her as he motioned for her to get inside the cab.

"Anou...are you..." and she faltered.

He smirked, "Would you tell me where you live or do you rather I take you to my hotel?" he settled in beside her, one arm puling her at the waist, pressing her closer.

"Anou..." she reddened, a bright shade of red which almost made him laugh.

He frowned at her and it immediately made her tell him where she lives. He told the driver the address and he pulled her closer, his fingers tapping softly on her hips.

"Ry-Ryoma-kun?"

"You caused me much trouble today," he told her and he glanced back down to meet her eyes.

"A-ah?" she swallowed hard, the red still in her cheeks. "Anou...why are you here? And...why are we..." and she blushed some more if that was even possible.

"You have to make up for all of today's trouble," he said, a glint in his eyes.

"Ha? W-what do you mean?" she blinked.

"You'll understand later," he said as a-matter-of-factly.

She furrowed her brows, clearly she doesn't know how she reached the situation, his sudden appearance, this closeness...and what does he mean by making it up to him?

"And you won't be taking the train alone next time," and he settled on the seat, not wanting to wait any longer to reach her house and get to the making out, ehem up, part.

---

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**A/n: **Okay...you know the drill guys…

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	15. Perpetual motion

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **So I was working on another fanfic when the idea hit me. Nothing utterly original here. This is a bit long, I think, and hope you'll all like it.

Read and Review!

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**Title: **Perpetual motion

**Rating: **T

**Genre: **Romance/Angst/Drama/General

---

She was surprised they got paired to do a science project.

He wasn't, considering how much of a match-maker their teacher was. He watched as she discussed to him, amid blushing and stuttering, the objectives of their project. He nodded boredly, and said in a drawl that he knew already.

She blushed furiously, choosing to keep her mouth shut for the rest of the period as he decided to do the project alone.

He turned to her slightly when he noticed the sudden quiet. "Ne," he started but it was then the bulb in their project lighted up and he forgot whatever it was that he was going to say.

She clapped her hands and smiled at him as she jotted down notes. They needed a report and since he did the model she was to do the report. She continued jotting while he continued doing the next steps.

Later that afternoon, he insisted they do the report together. She said it was not necessary, that she was not going to be a free rider and that she has to have a part in the project.

---

She found him the next day at her doorstep, the model in a box on his arms. She let him in, a blush on her face. "Anou Ryoma-kun…" but her words got lost somewhere when the phone rang.

It was her grandmother saying that her flight back from Hokkaido was cancelled due to a typhoon and that she was going to stay a night more and could she take care of herself?

She said she could, she was fifteen after all. Besides it wasn't the first time she was going to be alone at the house.

After some more reminders her grandmother hung up and she padded back into the living room. She found him sitting on the couch, the box on the table.

"Ryoma-kun…would you…would you like something to drink?" she asked.

"Hn," he murmured and turned quickly to another topic, "Where's Coach?"

"She's in Hokkaido."

"Ah," and he resumed tinkering with the science project.

She eventually got him a Ponta.

---

He was discussing to her some points that she should add in the report when the lights went out. It seemed that they were experiencing a black out.

But she shrieked nevertheless and almost jumped him but the sudden arm that latched itself around her waist prevented her to. "R-Ryoma-kun?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice too close to her ear. She could even feel his breath.

"H-hai," she said breathily.

"Where are your candles?"

"In the kitchen," she started getting up but the moment she realized what a dark place the kitchen was she quickly took hold of his sleeve and bit her lower lip.

"Come on," and he went with her to the kitchen.

---

He was sitting too close, she thought, as she reached to light another candle. It was cold but she couldn't go alone in the bedroom to get a blanket.

"Come closer," he said, his arm snaking about her waist.

"H-hai…" she scooted closer, closing her eyes as his scent invaded her senses.

---

She started slightly as she felt him move closer, as if that was even possible. "Ryoma-kun?"

"Ryuuzaki," he murmured and touched her chin tentatively.

"Do-doushite Ryoma-kun?" she wouldn't turn. She was blushing furiously and her face felt extremely hot.

He curled one finger on her chin and forced her to look. The moment she did, his mouth was on hers and she was tumbling back on the couch.

---

They have spent some time kissing when the lights came back. He pulled back, smirking at her blushing face and gave her another sound kiss. He smoothed her shirt, closed the buttons which he flicked open and straightened her pleated skirt.

"Ryoma…kun," she swallowed hard.

He flicked her forehead and turned to his watch. "I have to go home."

Though she wanted to ask him what was that all about, and become hysterical with blushes she simply nodded and remained mute for the rest of the evening.

---

She couldn't ask him the next day they saw each other again. He was simply staring at the blackboard and she was glancing at him. Once he caught her she quickly looked away.

She watched tennis practice the following afternoon and did not hear Momo-senpai and Kikumaru-senpai saying how energetic Ochibi was that day. Their eyes met and she wanted to ask him then and there but there were too many people so she just averted her gaze.

Besides he doesn't seem fazed by what happened.

---

They were not paired in any projects after that. The following year he was paired with Horio in an English project, with a random girl in a Social Studies activity and with some other people in some other projects but never with her.

She still hasn't talked about the kiss to anyone, not even with Tomoka.

She was doing her homework in the library when he stopped by. He took the seat beside her and grabbed her notebook and told her that she was not doing it correctly.

She blushed at the proximity and quickly mouthed apologies for being stupid. He shook his head and touched her arm and just held her. His arm slipped around her waist.

She blinked and blinked some more. She wanted to ask but her mouth and throat felt dry. Just like before.

He started nuzzling her neck, nipping the skin under her ears and she shivered, a moan escaping her mouth. There might be people and people might hear them. What were they doing anyway?

"Correct number ten," he suddenly said.

"Ah…ah?" she blinked again. She turned to face him and his mouth was against hers.

His kiss was so drugging. She didn't know she had started kissing him back.

---

What bothered her was how he doesn't let it show through him. His expressions were the same, his actions were still the same, his words were never different. The same set of words the he utters everyday…nothing changes. Nothing changed. As if nothing happened.

She looked at him during PE and wondered briefly how unfair he was to her when she missed the ball and it came hurling towards her face. She collapsed in fright.

---

She was awake by the time she heard the door opening. There were voices but she wouldn't open her eyes. She was hoping he was there. By the sound of the voices there were three boys and a girl. She listened more, no one in the group sounded like him.

She closed her eyes tightly, swallowing hard. She wasn't going to cry.

---

She was eighteen, her birthday just a day ago, when he asked her if she brought extra lunch. She nodded slowly and he turned to her slightly to beckon her to follow him to the rooftop.

She laid out the bento and shyly invited him to eat.

"You always bring extra," he said nonchalantly.

"Ah…hai…" couldn't he see that it was for him?

He started eating. She watched him eating. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Ah…Ah hai!" and she quickly started eating. She shot him a glance, expecting him to start kissing her anytime soon.

"Hn?" he asked, suddenly stopping.

"E-eh?"

"Do you want to say something?"

Her brows shot up, her face went red. "Ah…n-no…"

And he resumed eating.

---

"I'll teach you how to shoot it," he suddenly said in PE. He stood up, beckoned her to stand up and turned her around. He placed the bow in her hands and stood behind her. He snaked his arms around her and demonstrated how to pull the bow.

"R-Ryoma-kun…" she was aware of everyone staring.

"Like this," and he let the arrow loose.

"Ah…" she was blushing. She wanted to ask if something was up but once again, her mouth and throat felt dry.

His hand remained on the small of her back all throughout PE.

---

She was changing clothes in the girl's locker room when he came. He had her against a locker door and his hands were flicking her buttons open and his mouth was on her neck and she was feeling so hot.

"R-Ryoma-kun…" she clutched at his hair and he gave a wordless murmur. She felt panicky. People might see them.

"Ryuuzaki," and his hands were on her hips pushing her closer to the door.

"A-ah…" she turned her head, her mouth trying to say anything, something but he quickly caught it and his mouth found hers.

---

The regulars were asking if there was something. If there was something going on. She couldn't say exactly. She couldn't tell them that he had been kissing and touching her. She couldn't say because that might lead them on. When in fact she wasn't sure if there really was something.

She never did ask him. He would kiss her and touch her and hold her whenever they were alone. There were things he tells only to her and there where things she could tell only to him even if words were scarce between them.

She never asked him. She wouldn't want to. She was afraid it might end. Not that she was happy about it. It was like a French staircase, it is there but they could not talk about it. She could not talk about it.

---

Tomoka said it seemed like they were going in circles, again and again. Sometimes, words speak louder than actions. There were things best said. She told Tomo she doesn't know. She doesn't know what they are. How long will it last? Tomo once asked.

"Would you want to be just like this?" Tomo asked further, "Going in circles? Again and again and again? There's no such thing as a perpetual motion machine, there has to be an end somewhere, sometime."

She looked hard at Tomo.

"Unless you want to label this as something…at least when you both know what you're doing it's more probable for this to last forever," Tomo said looking away, "I may not look like it, but I also think from time to time."

"I love you Tomo-chan," and she hugged her.

---

He went to the States the following year. He didn't give her any special goodbye, anything special. It was like how he said goodbye to everyone else.

She didn't receive any email, anything, anything that would tell her something was up between them and that everything wasn't just a pigment of her imagination.

One night she realized it ended as abruptly as it began. Not that the beginnings were clear-cut. Not that there really was something that began and ended. Not that there was something. She cried, and just cried. Tomo was right.

---

She was in college when he returned. He was standing in front of her door. Just like how he stood in her doorway years ago. Her eyes widened and she took a step back which he matched and soon they were inside, her tumbling on the couch, him hovering above her.

"Ryuuzaki," he said.

"R-Ryoma-kun…"

"I think it's time we try something new…" he said, his mouth inches above her.

"E-eh?"

"You and me," and he kissed her.

---

She sat on the couch watching the movie as he played with the ends of her hair. She felt like crying.

"Ne," he started, "How would you like to start again?"

"Tomo-chan said there's no such thing as a perpetual motion machine."

He frowned, and after a few seconds he said, "We have two options. One, we could always try and falsify it."

"Ryoma-kun," her eyes were red.

"Or we could always start again."

She didn't know how, or why. Maybe because it has been so long. Or maybe because she just knew that this is what she wanted.

"So? True or not I would like to—"

"Hai," she said and she closed her eyes for the kiss that she knew would last.

---

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**A/n: **You know the drill guys…

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	16. Again

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

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**Disclaimer: **Nope POT isn't mine…

**Author's Notes: **So I had received a number of review saying last chap was hard to understand. I do not usually make this, but since I realized how lame a writer I am for doing a one-shot that's totally hard to understand, and weird and maybe unlike-able, I decided to do a little extra for that one-shot. You'll find the omake after this one-shot.

Anyway, for this, I hope I wouldn't need to do an omake. Read and review!

* * *

---

**Title: **Again

**Rating: **T

**Genre: **Drama/Angst/Romance

---

The first time she saw him again was six years after he left for the States. The senpais held a homecoming slash reunion party and as the Coach's granddaughter, and as Echizen's childhood sweetheart—no, it was not her idea, it was Momo-senpai's—she, together with Tomo-chan, was invited.

She brought along a little tennis ball she painted with his face. It was reminiscent of the tennis ball he asked from her before he left. And thinking that it might be significant she made one just to be sure.

She arrived, certain tonight would be a very important night. She was eighteen, mature enough, she had gotten past her stuttering and she was less clumsy. She knew, overall, that she had improved. And she was determined to show him that.

She went to the front porch, rang the buzzer and immediately a stressed Horio answered the door. His eyes widened upon seeing her and he called for Tomo who relentlessly tried to pull her out the house. But she had stepped in, although wondering why the sudden change, they had been the ones too excited to make them meet anyway, and saw Ryoma-kun by the kitchen.

She clutched the little ball with her two hands behind her back and made a beeline for the kitchen. She stopped immediately just as she murmured his name for surprisingly he seemed to have heard it though people had been shouting at the top of their voices. He turned, slowly, as if everything was in slow, slow motion.

"Ryuuzaki." The only thing that she noticed then was the hand wrapped inside his own hand. No she didn't notice that he remembered her name. She almost didn't hear it. She strained her eyes to see the interlinked hands and only worked out the image just as soon as he stepped into a full circle, revealing a pretty girl with black hair and matching eyes holding hands with him.

She almost stopped breathing. She took a step back, her eyes never leaving his and felt the wall against her back. She cursed inwardly. The moment she stopped moving they started walking towards her. Ryoma was still holding the girl's hand and the girl was giggling at something.

She immediately straightened up, took another step back and realized that she had reached the living room and that bean bags were scattered everywhere. She turned immediately just as Ryoma started speaking, "I didn't know you were going to come."

"Ah," years of practice had never prepared her for this. She forced a smile, looked up at the girl and found that she had nice white teeth.

"Hello," the girl said, smiling, "You are Ryuuzaki-san? Oh I heard much about you."

She could only nod. What kind of things? She wanted to ask. Perhaps Ryoma told her of her stupidity, or her clumsiness, or her lack of talent. Right, she was never good at anything. She cleared her throat, "Well...I actually just dropped by to say hi..."

"You're leaving already?" the girl asked, her brows furrowing, "And I haven't introduced myself yet."

"She's Yumi," Ryoma said offhandedly, his eyes never leaving hers. She could feel a burning sensation on the top of her head where he was staring at.

"Ah...n-nice meeting you Yumi-san," and she knew then and there that everything was lost. She could feel something bitter in her throat, a little heartburn and she knew she was going to faint if she doesn't leave soon. "I'd better go now..." and she turned to go. And that was when her feet got caught in a bean bag and she landed on her face on the carpeted floor. A hushed silence suddenly filled the room.

She cursed, a little curse that goes deep down her core and she knew she would be crying soon. She felt pathetic and of course who was she compared to Yumi? Ryoma was an international star and she was nothing. And Yumi looked pretty and she seemed half-Japanese and half-American and she started speaking with Ryoma in English as she felt her face getting buried deeper onto the floor. She cursed again.

"Are you alright?" Yumi asked.

She took in a deep breath, fought the tears and managed to stand up, dropping the ball in the process. Yumi picked it up, gazed at it and gleefully squealed.

"Hn..." Ryoma darted an eye from the ball to her.

"This is so cute, and Ryo-kun's face is so cute," Yumi kissed Ryoma on the cheek.

She took a step back, careful not to get caught on another beanbag, mouthed apologies and amidst the calculating gazes of the people in the room she quickly made a dash for the door.

---

The next time she saw him was two years after. He was in some photo shoot in a safari in Singapore and she, after a whole day of trying to book a promo flight, was touring with Tomo-chan. He did not see them. And contrary to what Sakuno knew Tomo-chan would do in similar circumstances, she disregarded him, looked away and told her brooding wouldn't get her anywhere.

The same night they met him in a pasta place in Sentosa. He was with someone, a pretty brunette with big eyes. He nodded at them after a long while of staring, which meant that he finally realized who they were only after a good length of examining and staring. Well, she knew she was the forgettable type. She was never someone who makes an impression.

"You're Ryuuzaki-san?" the brunette exclaimed when they came over, "Oh I've heard a lot about you."

She nodded and smiled weakly. Of course. She was the laughing stock of the whole I-love-Ryoma-Echizen-and-he-doesn't-belong-with-a-loser-like-Ryuuzaki community. Of course.

"Well," Tomo butted in. She glared at no one in particular, though it was quite evident that she was not that happy with seeing Ryoma, "We would love to stay and chat but our schedule's too tight. We have to get somewhere tonight." And Tomo nudged her when she started asking.

"Ah-ah..." Sakuno swallowed hard, "Yes, yes. I remember. So we'd better go?"

"Come on," and Tomo grabbed her hand and led her to the door.

She had the feeling that someone was boring a hole through her back.

---

She saw him again a year after. Back in Japan Sakuno was working as a writer for a local magazine. She met him at a charity event she was tasked to write about. It was the cap she saw first and upon recognition she quickly dashed for cover. She knew then, immediately, that it was too late to seek shelter. He had spotted her early on.

"Ne," he started as he approached, "Why are you here?"

If she just was not too nervous she would have rolled her eyes. But it felt like something was upon her chest and she was twelve years old again. She cursed herself for feeling that way even after all these years, even after all the infidelities. She shook her head, he was not unfaithful, there was no reason to be faithful anyway. It was not as if they were in a relationship or something.

He arched a brow.

"W-work," she stammered and felt stupid. She looked behind him, expecting to find a pretty girl, probably a redhead this time, to sprout from his back. And like she was a fortune teller or something a pretty girl came around holding a champagne glass. But she was not a redhead, she has a black bob, sophisticated, sexy. Sakuno felt a little too little.

"Hn," he murmured before pecking the girl's cheek. He smiled at her, a rare smile and Sakuno realized that there really was no difference between now and when she was eighteen. Until now she was unwanted.

"E-excuse me," she swallowed hard and before the tears could fall she disappeared into the corner.

---

A year after, a grand sum of ten years after he left for the States where they chanced by each other a few times in between, all the time him with a girl, all the time her with a broken heart, she found him by her doorway.

She was twenty-two and she realized that being twenty-two she had all the right in the world to call the police and have him arrested for trespassing, and if possible for breaking her heart many times. She approached him, he was leaning against her doorframe with a frown on his face.

He noticed her approaching and he quickly straightened up, the frown never leaving his face. As soon as she came in hearing range he hissed, "What took you so long?"

Sakuno could only arch a brow.

"I've been waiting for three hours," that was probably the longest sentence Ryoma ever said to her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked without stuttering. Perhaps all she needed was more time, after a bit more time she would have totally forgotten about stuttering.

He glared, his hands inside his pockets. "What do you think?"

"I don't know of anything that you might need here," she said, backing away. He seemed to hover above her and she felt a bit suffocated. There were feelings she could recall and all those involved pain. No, she was not some stupid twelve-year old who'd bawl her eyes for him.

"You," and with a step he backed her against the wall and had her hands pinned on her sides. "Where's your door key?"

Sakuno swallowed hard. All the confidence she thought she finally has disappeared. She felt her knees buckle underneath her and without even thinking she murmured, "In my jacket pocket."

He smirked, a haughty smirk that if conscious—she still believes she was not at that time—she would have liked to smack off his face. He didn't have the right to be arrogant, to be so sure of himself, to be so sure that he can control her feelings still. Because he can't, can he? He slipped the key from her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. The door unlocked with a dry click and Sakuno suddenly felt very nervous.

And maybe because she was very nervous or maybe because the click of the unlocked door broke her from her semi-hypnotized state she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Hn," he regarded her slowly as he half-dragged her inside. The door shut, the sound a little too menacing for her comfort. He looked around, a frown on his face and asked, "Where's the bedroom?"

"F-first door to your left." She cursed herself inwardly for letting such valuable information slip her.

"Come on," and still he half-dragged her inside.

"W-wait," she caught a chair and held on, "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said with an exasperated sigh.

"If you're going to tell me you don't want to see me again then f-fine, I-I won't attend the next reunion..." she felt like crying. That was probably the only reason. Ryoma would never approach her for anything else.

"There's a reunion?" his eyebrows shot up.

"Y-yes but I won't a-attend if you—"

Then his mouth was on hers. A crazy, urgent first kiss which sent her tumbling towards the now open bedroom door. His hands slipped behind her and rested on the small of her back. It didn't take them very long to fall against the bed, Sakuno gasping for breath underneath him and Ryoma smirking above her and marvelling at how thoroughly-kissed she was.

"G-get off," she tried to squirm away but he had caught her hands.

"I've been planning this for a long time. It'd be stupid of me to let you go this time."

She wanted to shout obscenities at him as he roamed her exposed neck but his words caught her attention and her ears perked up. There were words, words she never thought she'd hear from him and she needed to make sure lest she was only assuming things. "W-what?"

"Hn," he nipped her earlobe, "You might have figured it out by now. I mean you should have."

She squirmed again but his hold tightened. "R-Ryoma-kun...please let me g-go now..." She felt like crying. What did he mean? Did he mean that all these years, all these years she was hurting because of some stupid scheme he set up?

"I won't," he said sternly, his eyes trained on hers. "I don't care now whether you have a boyfriend or not. I've been waiting so long."

She furrowed her brows. Boyfriend? She never had one. What was he talking about? "I-I...I never had a..."and she involuntarily moaned as he started kissing her collarbone.

"You were jealous weren't you?" he asked, a smirk on his face once more.

"Jealous?" she swallowed hard.

"Jealous. It was hard trying to know your whereabouts. I was always on tour and I had to plan those meetings in advance."

"Meetings?" her eyes widened. Plan, meetings, jealous? Everything was planned?

"I never really intended it to drag this long," he kissed her mouth once more, "But Horio said you had a boyfriend as soon as you were over with the first."

"W-what?" she pulled herself up, placing a palm flat against his chest to create distance between them. "Horio? Me? A boyfriend? I never had a boyfriend. Horio told you that?"

It was his turn to furrow his brows. "Hn. He said so. Well, it was Momo-senpai who told me about it the first time. It was Horio who told me about the boyfriend after. And one of the Ichinen who told me about the third. Fuji-senpai about the fourth. And the fifth...I'm not really sure if it was Kaidoh-senpai or Inui-senpai."

Her eyes widened.

"You mean to say all those were not true?"

"Yes. I mean no they were not true."

He stood silent for a long while, a dangerous glare in his eyes. "Was it because of Yumi?"

The name clicked right away. Yumi, the girl he brought at the reunion party. At the party where she tripped and made a mess of herself.

"Ah..." his hold tightened.

"Ba-chan told me it's better t-to...to forget about you..." she took in a deep breath. No she would not tell him she had spent nights crying herself to sleep.

So it was all a conspiracy. He would tell everyone soon. A girl and they all decided Ryuuzaki should forget him? Alright. He knew their concern stemmed from something more deep-seated than that. He had hurt her before, even before all this, what with his nonchalant attitude towards her and how they thought he was taking her for granted, and for that it was only right that they protect her from him. But this? Isn't this a little too overacting?

"So..." she could put two and two together and produce four, "So you were just making me j-jealous?"

He regarded her silently, "Hn."

A little smile brightened her face, "Because you thought I have a boyfriend?"

"Hn."

"And you were jealous of my so-called boyfriends?"

"Hn."

"That was...unexpected."

"I know," he exhaled.

"It's been so long," she murmured, a little sad at the years they wasted going around in circles, assuming things that never existed.

"Ah," he kissed the tip of her nose, "Yumi hadn't been my girlfriend."

She pulled back suddenly, her eyes intently on him. "She hadn't been?"

"No," he said, "It was business-related."

"But we thought..." she trailed off.

"Hn...funny how we went around in circles assuming things that never existed," he repeated her thoughts.

She broke into a smile, "You silly man."

"I love you," he abruptly said.

"What?" she turned her head.

"I'll only say it once," he said nonchalantly.

She laughed softly, "And to think that I'd been crying for nothing."

"It's worth it anyway," he brought his mouth closer.

"And to think that you had been jealous for nothing," she laughed when he saw him frown.

"It's your turn," he said, averting his eyes. His face was lightly red.

She arched a brow, her hands on the buttons of his shirt.

"Say it," he kissed her mouth lightly.

"Say what?"

"Ryuuzaki," he warned.

She giggled, laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes. She wiped them, buried her face in his chest and stopped herself from crying.

"It's okay now."

"I know," and she took in a mouthful of air. "Ryoma-kun."

"Hn?" he started undressing her.

"I love you too," she upped herself to kiss him.

"Ah...it has been too long," he said.

"Ah...it has been," and she smiled.

---

* * *

**Omake**

"So? True or not I would like to—"

"Hai," she said and she closed her eyes for the kiss that would last. Rolling the words in her head she realized she didn't understand anything he said. She hastily opened them, stared at him quizzically and asked, "What were you saying again?"

He arched a brow, a smile on his lips. He was trying hard not to laugh.

"Ryoma-kun," she ran her tongue down her bottom lip, "I didn't quite get what you…"

"You were too eager," he feigned admonishment. Then he burst out laughing.

"G-gomen," and she furrowed her brows together, her mouth in a little pout. "I was just…why don't you just tell me what you were going to say?"

He smirked, flicked her forehead and said seriously, "I don't talk much and the very first time I tried to talk you cut me out."

"Gomen, I was…I was just…"

"How would I even get to ask you to be my girlfriend?"

"I mean I was just…I mean…I won't…" she stopped, blinked her eyes and said, "What did you say?"

He faked an exasperated sigh, "Silly Ryuuzaki. Kissing you is a lot easier than talking to you." He smirked and just kissed her.

* * *

---

* * *

**A/n: **So you know the drill guys…

* * *


	17. Spur

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **POT isn't mine.

**A/n: **So it has been a long while. So here's something long for all of you. I don't know if this is good enough but anyway, I'm trying to get my rhythm back.

* * *

**Title: **Spur

**Rating: **K+

* * *

It was a bright Monday morning. Sakuno didn't sleep in even if she stayed up until two in the morning to finish her English paper. And she had pancakes for breakfast. What could be better than pancakes, eggs and bacon in the morning? She ate heartily at which her grandmother told her she was going ahead and instructed her to lock the doors. Sakuno gleefully nodded, saw her out the door, resumed eating and as soon as she was done she rinsed her plate, prepared her bento and locked the door.

Monday was going to be a really great day.

She walked the way to the school and managed to beat the stop light when she crossed. At the next intersection she saw the boy she had been loving for many years. The streets converged into one main street and soon she could see a bunch of students headed to the school.

She has reached the gate just as Tomoka called her name. She turned to her bestfriend of seventeen years, saw that a couple of students also turned because Tomo was just so loud, including Ryoma Echizen and Sakuno's heart fluttered to her throat.

Tomoka said some things to her which were lost on her (the Tendo's cat was found yesterday, a new shop opened in Shibuya, they should try the new okonomiyaki place, and that Motoharu, a fourth year she couldn't remember was asking Tomo for Sakuno's number and some other random guys she said were asking Sakuno out on a date) since Tomo speaks so fast. The only thing she caught was that of her needing to get inside now really quickly because she has to finish decorating the bulletin. Sakuno nodded and watched her take a sprint.

She glanced at her watch and decided she still has time to buy iced coffee at a vending machine inside the school premises. She reached the gate, turned left, on one side the tennis courts and the botanical garden on the other. And that was when she was abducted.

The only thing she could remember was being pulled into the garden, her back roughly shoved against a tree and a mouth crushing hard against her own. It vaguely registered to her that the abductor's eyes were shaped like a cat's and that his cap with the R on it was skewed and his mouth tasted slightly of Grape Ponta and something sweet she couldn't name.

The abductor pulled back, heaving and Sakuno's eyes widened and since she was learning much from her defense classes and since her instincts had kicked in along with her adrenaline rush she let out a blood curdling scream, one that's definitely bound to reach the principal and her grandmother and hauled her knee up with a jerk and hit the boy in the groin.

The abductor fell with a loud yelp and Sakuno, the scream dying from her throat as people filled the crime scene; her mouth gaping slowly as she realized that the R on the cap was just too familiar. She almost died when she realized it was Ryoma Echizen.

''''

She glanced discreetly at him from where she was. After the scream, which the school would forever remember as The Scream for it shook even those from the adjoining buildings, they were brought in for questioning. Her grandmother was at her side, her eyes trained hard on the Echizen.

"So what happened?" the principal asked, a bored look on his face and a pencil on his stubby fingers.

"Anou..." she saw Ryoma glance at her, his eyes squinting slightly. He was slightly hunched. She knew what she did had hurt but she never thought it would hurt that much. She saw him wincing every now and then.

"So?" the bored principal asked again.

"Tell us Sakuno," her grandmother urged.

"Anou..." she glanced at him again and tried to send telephatic apologies to him. "Nothing happened...I was just startled...i-is all..." and she watched from the corner of her eye as his head turned slowly to her, his eyes widening in the process.

"Ah..." the bored principal scratched his neck, "Startled?"

"I-I was...I was buying iced coffee at the vending machine...when...when he suddenly appeared. I-I was just startled and I thought he was a rogue and I hit him. I was just startled I'm telling you, I'd been having too much coffee lately and I think that I'd been watching too much suspense movies and that had made me too paranoid and—"

"Okay, we get the point," the principal scratched his head again. "I had to give you a warning though. And since you both disrupted the morning classes I'm giving you detention."

Sakuno tried not to groan.

"Ne," he finally said, "Me too?"

"Yes Echizen, you too."

"But I'm the victim here," he said in a low tone.

Sakuno frowned. The victim? If there was a victim here it would her. Ingrate. He should be thanking her for saving her from getting expelled. Harassment meant expulsion. Harassment and stealing of first kiss.

"Go back to class," the principal waved a hand of dismissal.

Ryoma grunted but nevertheless limped his way towards the door. Coach Ryuuzaki eyed them both suspiciously but nevertheless followed Ryoma out. Sakuno gave a little bow and followed her grandmother. She closed the door behind her.

"Get back to class now Sakuno," turning to Ryoma she said, "I guess I won't be seeing you for practice this afternoon then." She turned left.

Ryoma smirked, turned around and started limping towards the other direction.

Sakuno frowned and followed. They were classmates after all. She watched his back and wondered why he was still limping. Maybe she had hit him too hard. She knew she has gotten stronger. But she never knew she was that strong. Or maybe because she had hit him _there._ She blushed. What had she done?

"Stupid Ryuuzaki," he muttered.

"Anou..." she wanted to hit him again. It was his fault anyway. If he wanted to kiss her he could have just asked her. She would freely and willingly allow him. She blushed at the thought. But anyway, it was his fault and, in some way or another, he deserved it. "Why did you kiss me?"

He glared hard, stopped and said, "Isn't it obvious?" he sighed exasperatedly. He continued walking.

Obvious? She furrowed her brows. Why was he so cryptic? Or was she just too slow? She quickened her pace to catch up with him. "R-Ryoma-kun..."

"What?" he asked, frowning now.

"I-I'm sorry...but I still think that you shouldn't have done that," she was flushing furiously, the red blotching even her ears.

He stopped walking and turned to her, "I kissed you because I want to." And there was a tinge of pink in his cheeks.

Her face felt hot suddenly. "E-eh?"

"You could've hit me somewhere else you know." He looked away.

"D-Does it still hurt?"

"Che," his eyes darted from her face to wall.

She tried to say anything but somehow she felt at a loss. The moment was awkward.

"Are you," his eyes nervously settled on her face, "Are you going out with someone else?"

Her eyes widened, "Going out? Of course not!" she said with a shake of her head.

"Ah," he nodded to himself, "I thought...Guess I have no reason to be..." and he trailed off.

"E-eh? What are you saying Ryoma-kun?" she bit her bottom lip.

"You're not allowed to go out with any guy," he commanded. He lowered the bill of his cap and continued, "Not allowed to kiss any guy, to hold hands, to give your bento, to accept anything from any guy...other than me. Understood?"

"R-Ryoma-kun..." she blushed more, her body tensing.

"And if I kiss you next time," he cleared his throat, "Don't hit me, okay?"

She felt like fainting. First it was a kiss, now a confession. Was he confessing? She would like to think that he was. Well, anyone who would hear it would think he was confessing. What if it wasn't? What if she was not getting it again? But he said he kissed her because he wanted to. Did he mean he wanted to kiss her, as in just her? Or did he mean he wanted to just kiss and she happened to be there when he felt the urge to kiss someone? Sure he had been doing a lot of things for her lately: he had been accompanying her home every afternoon, escorting her to the racket stringer whenever she needed her racket restrung, there were also a couple of times when he actually fed her and held her hand, albeit loosely and some other things that made her blush. But well, he might have been doing those things out of obligation, for her grandmother was a big browbeater most of the times.

"Ryuuzaki. Oi, Ryuuzaki."

"A-ah?" she fidgeted with her hands. "R-Ryoma-kun...d-do you mean that...that...that..." she felt out of breath.

He sighed again, annoyed. "I like you. So that's clear enough?"

That was the time her eyes widened. "A-anou..."

He slid his hands in his pockets and tapped his fingers on his thighs impatiently. He waited, a couple more seconds, for Ryoma Echizen was not a patient guy, and took the matter into his own hands, and feet. He took a step closer and brought his mouth against hers.

Her leg shot up instinctively but well, since Ryoma was not someone who'd fall for the same trick twice he quickly blocked it, held her against a tree, which suddenly happened to be there, and hooked her raised leg around his hips.

Sakuno blushed. She knew that she was positioned rather inappropriately. And what was he doing? Why was he kissing her again? Her heart pounded. What is this? This, after all these years? Is this finally what she has been waiting for? Of course she understood what he said. It was in Japanese after all but was that really it? She felt panicky. Perhaps he didn't mean it, perhaps it was just some spur of the moment thing. She felt like pushing him away.

"You get it now?" he asked, his mouth skimming over her ears.

"Ry-Ryoma-kun..." she swallowed hard, bit her lower lip and murmured wordlessly that Ryoma should let her bring her leg back down. He did so, a smirk on his face, and dipped his head again for a quick kiss. She wanted to make sure, she had been waiting for five years, she wouldn't want those five years to go to waste.

"Don't think too much," he whispered when he pulled back, his eyes transfixed on hers.

She lowered her gaze and bit her bottom lip. If the setting wasn't just so, so weird, if the events preceding it were just not like what happened earlier, if he had just shown her how he gradually fell in like with her...it would've been believable. But this, it felt so rushed.

"And this is not a spur of the moment thing," he said, his cat-like orbs still trained on hers, "You should have known, I mean, what with everything I had been doing lately. I wouldn't do all those things under normal circumstances."

She slowly turned and met his eyes. Not a spur of the moment? Her eyes widened in realization. The questions, the abduction, the kisses, the hint of possessiveness in his voice, together with everything else he had done for her. It was not a spur of the moment thing after all. Her trembling lips broke into a relieved smile. She would like to give it a try. In spite of everything, it was Ryoma-kun and Ryoma-kun is the only boy she loves.

"See you later," he said, a hand closing in on hers.

"Ah...hai," she had never anticipated detention until now.


	18. Class Picture

**Wound Up**

**By hye-kyo**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Nope, POT isn't mine.

**Author's Notes:** So it has been a long time and I was thinking of something to disturb the peace and quiet of July so I started rummaging through my HD and this is what I found. Not too much, a little exploration, a new plot/scene perhaps, and another proof as to the reality of Echizen's infatuation with Ryuuzaki, no matter what he says.

* * *

**Title:** Class Picture

**Rating:** K

"""

Ryoma didn't get to sit next to her for the class picture. Ryuuzaki wasn't the tallest girl and he wasn't too. He was hoping he'd get to sit in the middle, where the girls' line begins, where she was the first since she was the smallest. Osakada had gotten a tad bit taller over the summer break.

But he had gotten smaller—he just couldn't accept the fact that his classmates had all gotten taller over the break, that he was forced to sit second, three people away from her. He watched her from the corner of his eye making small talks with a boy whose name he barely could remember. He wouldn't mind, besides, anyone could talk to her, she wasn't mute anyway and his classmates weren't, so he assumed it's alright.

But then she laughed. A little laugh that made her eyes crinkle and made her cheeks blush. Now that was called overstepping the boundaries.

But he remained calm. He wouldn't want to give Momo-sempai and Kikumaru-sempai a reason to tease him further. Besides he was not really in love with her. Or was he? He wasn't, he told himself with a fierce shake of his head, he was merely protecting her from the hungry wolves that, in layman's term, correspond to single minded, libidinous adolescents. That and nothing more.

He watched again until it was time to smile and look stupid. The camera flashed once, twice, thrice until he could see spots of white everywhere he looked. He turned his head when the girl behind her, the girls' line overlaps the boys' at the end, asked him something. He shrugged, not really understanding what the girl asked and looked away. Remembering the reason for his bad mood, he turned back to see her, to watch her if Ryuuzaki was still talking with that boy and was relieved when she was not anymore and was, instead, watching him.

He arched a brow, an asking brow and immediately she blushed and looked away. He smirked. He'd sit beside her the next time they take a class picture.

For now, he'd make do with having a picture of the two of them together.


End file.
